Polar Opposites
by Arwen J Hui
Summary: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger couldn't be any more different when it comes to just about everything: they are polar opposites. When they get paired up for an assignment it looks like their sixth year is taking a turn for the worst but chemistry teaches us opposites attract and this force is what makes polar bonds so strong. Rated K-plus for language but it's otherwise clean.
1. Chapter 1

**I found these files deep within my hard drive (these were most likely on my old laptop's hard drive and I copied them over to my new one when it died). It's some of my first fan fiction; the first 5 chapters date all the way back to '07. My young shipper heart was toying with this pairing way back when and I guess I completely forgot about it. From what I read, I believe that this is all happening during OoTP.* The writing was atrocious so I took the time and revamped it a bit. I had so much fun editing this, I think I may just continue but I can't guarantee anything. Also, as far and I can tell, these are chronological so if I do continue this story I'll try and keep up with that.**

**Since this was some of my first fan fictions, I have a feeling it may closely resemble other authors' works. A thousand apologies in advance if it does; I do not mean to plagiarize their works. These documents are old and the creative parts of my brain were just beginning to work.**

***June 8, 2012 I had to make some changes to these first few chapters mid-story in order to get everything to fit my story line. I apologize if you have read this from the start but instead of the gang being in their fifth year, I've changed it so that they're in their sixth. Again, I'm sorry for the abrupt change.**

**Disclaimer: As much at it disappoints me, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters although I would very much like to hug Draco and/or Tom Felton.**

* * *

"Harry," scolded Hermione. "You can't keep letting You-Know-Who into your head." She sat cross-legged in her favorite chair beside the common room fireplace.

"Well, I can't really help it, Hermione," Harry snapped back. He sat slouched beside Ron on the sofa with his arms crossed. "I can't always control what happens if I'm asleep."

"Isn't that the whole point of Occlumency lessons?" Hermione said looking up from the book spread open on her lap.

"Snape isn't the most patient and he's done nothing but yell at me. He actually told me to leave last time."

"Well," Ron said stretching out his legs in front of himself," Snape isn't the most cheerful bloke, mate. I think Mad-eye is more pleasant."

"Can we just stop talking about this, please?" said Harry sinking further into the cushion.

"No, we can't." Hermione snapped her book shut. "You've been so tired and worn down lately, Harry. You've even fallen asleep in class."

"I really don't see how falling asleep in class is horrible," Ron said rolling his head back. Hermione shot him a threatening look that could rival his mother's and it made him sit bolt upright. "It's no different than when we sleep through Divination. Beside, Hagrid completely understood why Harry fell asleep."

"That's not the point, Ron. Harry is deprived of sleep. It's affecting his focus and more than likely affecting his ability to keep out You-Know-Who."

"Can't you make up a sleeping draught or something?" Ron asked thoughtfully.

"I've already tried," Hermione said down-heartedly. "There's potions that can help him fall asleep but nothing that can keep Harry's mind closed for sure. Besides, I don't have access to half of the ingredients, even if I nicked them from Snape's stores."

"Clearly you two aren't going to stop talking about this," Harry said getting up from his seat. "I'm going to bed. You coming, Ron?"

"Yeah, I'll be up in a bit."

Harry shuffled to the stairs that led up to the boys' dormitories.

"I really am worried about him, Ron," said Hermione in a hushed tone.

"I am, too, but Harry's stubborn. Almost as stubborn as my mum and that's saying something." Ron stood up and stretched. "I'm going up to bed. You should, too."

"I will," Hermione replied as she opened her book once more. "I just have to read the end of this chapter."

"Alright, then," Ron shrugged. "G'night, Hermione."

"Night, Ron." Hermione look down at her book once more but found that she could not focus. Maybe it was the warm glow of the fire or perhaps the steady rainfall outside the window but either way she could not seem to bring her attention to the pages before her. She shut the book and sighed.

Hermione was also tired but for a completely different reason. She had spent the last few nights tossing and turning in her bed dreading the thought of the Charms assignment Professor Flitwick was going to assign the following day. Hermione knew she could finish the assignment perfectly but Professor Flitwick said that they were to be working in pairs. To prevent distraction, Professor Flitwick was going to assign the pairs. Naturally, Ron and Harry groaned in disappointment but Hermione was actually dreading the assignment.

Shaking those thoughts out of her head she scooped up her bag and the remainder of her books. Once up in the girls' dormitory she changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed drawing the thick scarlet curtains close behind her in hope that, if only for a few hours, she could shut out the rest of the world and her thoughts.

…

The following morning at breakfast, only Ron appeared well-rested. He ate his eggs, potatoes, and bacon with zeal and drank at least a quart of orange juice before realizing that his friends had hardly touched their food. When he asked why they were not eating, Harry and Hermione replied, in unison, that they were simply not hungry. Ron shrugged and continued shoveling forkfuls of egg into his mouth.

Harry picked at his porridge while Hermione continued swirling her spoon around in her coffee. Finally, Hermione drained her cup and grabbed her books.

"Let's go before we're late for Charms," she said to the boys. Ron grabbed two slices of toast, shoved one in his mouth and one into Harry's hand urging him to eat.

"At least eat this, Harry," Ron said with a mouthful of toast. "Can't have you fainting now, can we?"

"Thanks," Harry muttered and the trio made their way out of the Great Hall and to the staircase.

"You look a little better today," Hermione said to Harry as they waited for the stairs to change. "Still a little pale but better. Did you sleep well?"

"I slept through the night," Harry replied through a yawn, "But I'm still exhausted. I don't know how I'm going to make it through to Occlumency tonight. Maybe I can get Fred and George to give me a Puking Pastille." Harry looked to Hermione for a reaction but he did not receive a scolding. Hermione was too lost in thought and worrying about who she would be paired with.

This year's Charms class was shared with Slytherin. Hermione had endured countless sneers and pointing fingers but she hoped and prayed that she would not be paired with one of them. She silently begged to be paired with Parvati Patil or Lavender Brown. She would settle for working with Seamus or Dean although Seamus still could not shake his nasty habit of setting things on fire. Working with Harry or Ron was out of the question because either of them would end up pushing the work into her hands. She walked the rest of the way to class in the same dazed stated and took her seat in the middle row of desks. She could barely stop worrying while Professor Flitwick lectured on the correct usages of the different unlocking charms.

Near the end of class, Professor Flitwick adjusted himself atop his small stack of books behind the podium and waited for the class to be silent. He tapped his wand on a piece of parchment that lay on the podium and cleared his throat.

"Now," Professor Flitwick began in his little voice," I will place you into pairs for your latest assignment. You and your partner will be researching one of the Paired Charms we have been studying meaning you will research the reverse charm of your partner. Now, let us begin. Please stand so that you may join your partner" He cleared his throat again and began pairing off the students. "Mr. Potter, you and Miss Patil will be researching the Summoning Charm and the Repulsion Charm." Harry stood up and went to join Parvati on the other side of the room.

_That leaves me with Lavender, Seamus, or Dean,_ Hermione thought to herself.

"Mr. Crabbe, you and Mr. Finnigan will be working together on the Reparation Charm and Destruction Charm. Miss Brown, you and Mr. Thomas will be working together…" Hermione had stopped listening. She panicked that her ideal partners had all been paired off. "Miss Granger," Professor Flitwick half-squeaked which brought Hermione back to her senses. "You will be working with…" _Please don't say it_, Hermione thought. "...Mr. Malfoy on the Conjuring Charm and Vanishing Charm."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_** or the characters.**

* * *

Hermione felt her stomach sink through the floor. She stood rooted to the spot and tried to regain her composure. Of all people to be paired with, she got the only person she despised with practically every fiber of her being. She looked to her fellow Gryffindors for some sort of sign that she had imagined what she heard: Harry was stone-faced, Ron's jaw was practically unhinged, Seamus had turned white, Dean was stock still, Parvati was biting her nails, and Lavender looked as if she were about to faint. Hermione's heart was stuck in her throat and she could not speak out in protest.

"Mr. Malfoy, please stand by Miss Granger so that I can see who is left to be paired," Professor Flitwick said to the scowling platinum-haired boy. Hermione held her books closer to her chest and tried to breathe normally. Draco muttered a curse under his breath while Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "Ah, Miss Parkinson, you and Miss Greengrass shall have the Locking and Unlocking charms. I will expect your papers in two weeks' time and your oral presentations shall be given on the same day and no, Mr. Finnigan, you may not change partners. You are dismissed."

Students clambered to get out of the classroom, most of them unhappy with their pairings. Hermione turned to face Malfoy and glared at him.

"Malfoy," Hermione said flatly. She tried to restrain herself and keep her anger from showing.

"Granger," Malfoy said through gritted teeth. Clearly he was just as unhappy with this pairing as Hermione only he chose to show it.

"I guess we have no choice but to work on this. Can you meet me in the library tonight at seven o'clock?"

"Fine," scowled Malfoy and with that he was out the door with Crabbe and Goyle, who were still sniggering like idiots, trailing behind him.

Harry and Ron rushed over to Hermione who was now breathing slowing and purposefully. The tops of her ears peaked out through her hair and were bright red. Hermione's nostrils flared with each exhalation.

"Hermione," said Harry turning Hermione to face him. "Are you alright?" Hermione was silent. "Hermione?"

"I'm fine," Hermione said curtly. She held her books even more tightly and walked towards the door, ears still beet red.

"Blimey, Hermione, I thought you were going to curse his ears off or something," Ron said catching up with her.

"Believe me, Ron, I wanted to curse off his ears, his arms…" Hermione was fuming at this point and both Harry and Ron struggled to keep up with her quick pace. She pushed through a crowd of first-years and made her way down the corridor.

"Hermione," Harry said slightly out of breath. "Hermione, you need to slow down."

Hermione ignored the boys' calls and went straight into the girls' bathroom. She locked herself in a stall and sat on the toilet running her hands through her hair. Of all the people the be paired with, she ends up with the boy who hates her just as much as she hates him. A part of her wanted to scream while another wanted to cry. Logic was failing her, which rarely ever happened, and she tried to calm down to think everything through. Maybe doing a project with Draco Malfoy would not be as horrible as she thought. They both despised each other equally and they would not have to talk much. All they had to do was write two parts of a paper and a presentation then put them together. _Yes_, Hermione thought. _That's all we have to do. It's not that bad. I just do my part and make him do his and we'll be fine_. She looked at her watch which indicated she only had ten minutes to get to History of Magic. She stood up and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail, regained her composure, and walked out of the bathroom to find Harry and Ron waiting.

"I'm fine," she blurted out before either Harry or Ron could ask any questions. "I've figured everything out. I'll explain it to you at lunch." With that, Hermione walked to the stairs and up two floors to History of Magic while Harry and Ron travelled back down the hall towards the entrance to the Divination tower.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_** or the characters.**

* * *

Hermione settled into her seat in History of Magic significantly calmer than when she stormed out of Charms. Logic had returned and alleviated some of her anxiety, if only for a short while. It suddenly dawned on her that History of Magic meant students from all four houses being present in the same classroom. This was not due to scheduling but was due to the fact that the class was terribly dull and taught by the ghost of Professor Binns who had not realized that he had died years before. The worst part was that Malfoy was in the same class. Anger suddenly resurfaced but Hermione forced it back down. She would not let thoughts of Draco ruin her day. She thought ahead to lunch and how she would explain her process to Harry and Ron. She spent all of class running different scenarios through her head with Harry and Ron asking every possible question she could think of and then formulating her own responses.

The ninety minutes of class seemed to fly by and Hermione soon found herself back in her dormitory gathering her books for her afternoon classes. She just went through the motions without paying much thought to her Charms assignment predicament and went back downstairs to the dining hall.

"Over here, Hermione," Ron called from the Gryffindor table. His plate was already piled high with chicken and potatoes. Sitting next to him was Harry who actually had a half-eaten sandwich in his hand.

"You're finally eating," Hermione said once she had taken her seat across from her two friends. She placed her bag on the bench beside her and served herself some steamed vegetables and white fluffy, white rice.

"Yeah," Harry said with a half-smile. "I still fell asleep in Divination but I think that was more from boredom than lack of sleep. You feeling any better?"

"A little bit better." Hermione picked a little at her food and took a mouthful and thought as she chewed. When she swallowed she continued. "I figured that I'll just tolerate Malfoy for as long as the project and as long as he's civil. I will do my part of the project and he will do his. We won't have to talk about much except the project and presentation. Should any problems arise, I will bring it to Professor Flitwick's attention." She looked from Harry to Ron for a response but both boys sat silent. Ron munched away at an apple while Harry stirred his soup. Hermione waited for a response.

"Are you sure about this, Hermione?" said Harry still stirring his soup. "I mean, given the history you and Malfoy share…"

"I am perfectly capable of dealing with Malfoy without having to curse his ears off. I think if I can keep our conversation to a minimum, I'll be fine." Hermione took a sip from her goblet.

"If you say so, Hermione," said Ron helping himself to another baked potato.

A few minutes passed in near silence with the occasional curse word from Ron as he struggled to complete the remainder of his Defense Against the Dark Arts paper. Eventually, Hermione pushed away her plate and took over.

"I never bothered to find out who you two were paired with for the Charms assignment. Who did you get?" Hermione asked without looking up from Ron's parchment.

"Well, I got Parvati," Harry said drinking the last of his soup.

"That's right," Hermione recalled. "I remember that. Who did you get Ron?"

"I got stuck with Goyle," scowled Ron. "He's so stupid. I always thought Crabbe was the dumber one of the them but it's actually Goyle. I'm going to get stuck doing all the work." Hermione started laughing loudly and had to stop writing or else she risked ruining the entire paper.

"Well, now you know how I feel when I get landed with you," and she resumed writing the last sentence. She passed it back to Ron who blew the ink dry and thanked Hermione profusely. "You're welcome. And if working with Goyle turns into a complete nightmare, try the approach I'm using with Malfoy."

"I'll try but I think I might jinx him first." Ron rolled up his parchment and stuffed it into his schoolbag.

"Come on you two. We're going to be late for Hagrid's," said Harry stuffing the remainder of his sandwich into his mouth.

Harry led the way to Care of Magical Creatures, which was shared with Ravenclaw today, while Ron begged Hermione to teach him the jinx that would cause Goyle's ears to sprout hair.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_** or any of the characters.**

* * *

Draco muttered curses under his breath all throughout History of Magic. _What makes Flitwick think I would ever work with Granger?_ Draco thought to himself. He ran his hands through his hair and massaged his temples. _On top of everything else, I have to work with Hermione Granger_. A thousand thoughts were racing through Draco's mind. The constant letters from his father telling him that Lord Voldemort has plans for him in the coming war. Draco knew that the war was inevitable. Anyone who believed that the Dark Lord was rising to power knew that the war was inevitable. _Why her?_ Draco thought again. _Well, Flitwick says our partners are final._ He lay his head down on his arms and shut his eyes giving in to defeat; working with Hermione was going to be like the war: inevitable.

Draco slept through the entire class and, as usual, Professor Binns took no notice. Students all around Draco stood up and gathered their things to file out of the room, but he stayed behind with his eyes still shut not wanting to talk to anybody.

"Oi, Malfoy!" Crabbe called from the doorway. "You coming or what?"

"No," Draco replied curtly. Crabbe shrugged his shoulders and joined up with Blaise and Goyle to head to lunch. Draco took his time getting his books together since he had a long break until Potions. He had just closed his bag when he heard a loud tapping on the window nearest the chalkboard.

Just beyond the stained glass pane fluttered a large tawny owl with a large envelope in its beak. Draco's heart sank as he recognized the owl. He reluctantly unlatched the window and let in the owl. He gently patted the creature's head and took the letter.

"I might need you later," Draco whispered to the creature. "Go stay in the Owlery for a bit, ok?" The owl hooted happily and took off in the direction of the Owlery leaving Draco to worry by himself. He stuffed the unopened letter into his cloak pocket and swiftly made his way to the dungeons. He scrambled down the stairs and whipped around corner after corner racing for the Slytherin common room. He was almost at the portrait entrance when a dark-haired girl cut in front of him.

"Hello, Draco," the girl said in a shy voice. "Where are you…"

"Not now, Pansy," Draco barked at her. "Serpientes males," Draco said to the woman dressed in black. She nodded her head and slowly swung open revealing the dungeon common room beyond. Draco stepped in without regard to a hurt looking Pansy as the portrait swung closed.

Heat radiated throughout the empty common room from the crackling logs in the ornate stone fireplace. Draco threw his bag on the floor and sunk into a sofa beside the fire. He rummaged through his cloak pocket, withdrew the envelope containing his letter, and broke the wax seal.

Draco-

I cannot reveal too much about our winter plans without spoiling the surprise. I can say that your dear godfather has been planning a reunion of sorts that will be hosted at our manor in less than three months' time. He has spoken of his plans for your future; plans that will launch you into a successful career. Until we see you, son, take care.

-L

The cheerful tone of his father's letter did not surprise Draco. As of late, his father had been sending letters in a sort of crude code to avoid suspicion if the letter were intercepted by the Ministry. He easily deciphered what lay beneath the cryptic text: The Dark Lord would be coming for Christmas and he would be bringing along his Death Eaters. This thought made a shiver run down Draco's spine and made him feel sick to his stomach. He wanted no part in the Dark Lord's plans but he had no choice. If he turned his back on "The Cause", his family would be forced into hiding, or worse. He could care less about his father but his mother loved him so and the thought of his mother spiraling down into depression was unbearable.

As the fire continued to crackle and pop, Draco stood up from his seat and angrily stuffed the letter into the depths of his bag. He grabbed his books from his trunk in the dormitories and headed to the Great Hall.

…

Harry, Ron, and Hermione traipsed up the hill from Hagrid's hut. They were relatively unscathed save for a few scorch marks on their robes. Two of their classmates ran up behind them, one of whom was covered in black soot.

"You would think Hagrid would have chosen something that didn't cause fires for us to study," Dean said with a wide grin.

"Yeah," Ron sniggered, "especially with Seamus' long history with fire."

"I didn't cause the explosion," Seamus cried indignantly. "The one time I don't cause something to catch fire you all still poke fun." He wiped at his sooty face with the sleeve of his cloak but that only spread the black to the cleaner parts of his face.

"Sorry, Seamus," Harry said half-heartedly. He was still laughing.

"But it was your Blast-Ended Skrewt that caused it," Dean pointed out thumping his best friend on the back. The boys laughed and even Seamus cracked a smile.

"Here, Seamus," Hermione said conjuring up a rag. She held it in her free hand, pointed her wand at it, and said, "Aguamenti," causing a small jet of water to erupt from the tip of her wand. "We can't have you scaring Professor Sprout, again." She handed the now damp cloth to Seamus who accepted it gratefully and wiped his face and hands clean.

"Yeah," Seamus replied. "Can't have her thinking it's poisonous sap again, can we?" With Seamus now clean, the five Gryffindors made their way across the castle to the greenhouses.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_** or the characters.**

* * *

The air was heavy with countless unidentifiable smells, all of which were equally unpleasant. Apparently, the third years' Potions lesson did not go well and several of them had created potions that released toxic fumes that induced vomiting. One student melted a hole into the bottom of his cauldron causing the potion to spill out and stain the stone floor. This in addition to Snape's already bitter disposition meant that Slytherin's lesson would be hellish. Sure enough, Professor Snape ordered the class to create a Befuddlement Draught, one of the most complex potions in their texts.

"You will find everything you need in the student stores and on the table at the front of the room. You have two hours." Snape then set to clearing the room of the fumes from the previous class then shut himself in his office.

Draco read through the instructions several times before beginning. He gathered all the necessary ingredients and was already chopping and slicing and heating while Crabbe and Goyle still struggled. Draco was always proficient in potions but today he raced to complete it before the end of class. He angrily went through the motions stirring while adding a few ingredients here and there as the book instructed. With a full twenty minutes left of class, he stoppered a crystal phial filled with his potion, labeled it with his name, and placed it on Snape's desk at the front of the room. Then, slowly and hesitantly, he knocked on Snape's office door.

"Enter," Snape said in his usual flat and unfeeling tone. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Hello, Professor," Draco started. Like every other student he feared Professor Snape, but at the same time he knew that he was an ally. He hoped that Snape would see in his favor. "I'm having a problem in Charms." Draco waited patiently in front of the door as Snape continued marking up a scroll of parchment with red ink. "Professor Flitwick assigned us partners for an assignment and my partner is...less that desirable."

"May I ask who you are partners with, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said without looking up from the parchment.

"Granger," Draco scowled. "Is there any way you can get me out of this?" Surprisingly, Professor Snape stopped grading and motioned for Draco to sit.

"Professor Flitwick mentioned this during lunch the other day. If I recall, he said that by creating pre-determined pairs, work would get done." Snape held up his hand to stop Draco from protesting. "I'm afraid Professor Flitwick's decisions are final. I cannot go up against a colleague, Mr. Malfoy." Snape went back to grading.

Draco sat in the small wooden chair and shifted uncomfortably. He was not sure if Snape was telling the truth but he knew not to push it. "Well, what can be done?"

Without looking up from the parchment in front of him, Professor Snape said, "Think of this as an exercise." Snape lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper, "The Dark Lord may ask you to perform tasks that are not to your liking but you must obey him at all times. By you putting up with Miss Granger for the duration of this assignment you might just gain some patience." Snape circled his final grade at the top of the parchment and rolled it back up. "Understood?" he said in his normal voice as he reached for another paper.

"Yes, sir," replied Draco glumly.

"You may leave," Snape said as he resumed marking line after line of handwritten text on the parchment scroll.

Draco left Snape's office angrier than before and stomped off to the Slytherin common room paying no attention to Pansy Parkinson who followed closely behind him. "Not now," Draco barked as he entered the portrait hold and threw his bag against the wall. He was very much unhappy but decided to take Snape's advice and treat his working with Granger as an assignment from the Dark Lord.

**This marks the end of the edited documents that I found on my hard drive. While Romione is my OTP, I think it would be fun to see the relationship between these polar opposites bud and grow. Again, as a nursing major I am really busy and it's difficult to find time to write when balancing out my time and energy between class, clinical hours, and work. I'll try and update weekly if I can. Since I posted all five of these at once, please give me some time to figure out a timeline and get back into my Dramione groove. I'm totally open to criticism as well as ideas for the story line! Just let me know in the reviews. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**This took a bit longer to write than I expected but I had to come up with several story lines before I was finally satisfied. I can't guarantee that I won't change the story line I have right now but I think I'll stick to it for the most part. For those of you still reading this, I picked up right where I left off five years ago.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Harry Potter**_** or the characters. I still would love to hug Tom Felton.**

* * *

A bushy-haired girl sat alone at a table surrounded by several stacks of books. She was scribbling away in a notebook that was already half-filled with neatly written notes. Sitting back in her chair and looking at her watch, Hermione let out a long sigh. _Seven-forty-five_, she thought._ If he isn't here in five minutes,_ _I'm leaving_.

Almost as if the universe heard her thoughts, Draco walked aimlessly into the library with the usual scowl on his face. He threw his bag onto the table and sat himself down across the table from Hermione. He folded his arms over his bag and set his head down on top causing his hair to fall into his eyes. "Granger," he said with mild disgust.

"Malfoy," Hermione replied with an equal amount of disgust. She took a deep breath and decided that it would be far more productive to let him slide on being extremely late. "Look here," she started. "I don't want to work with you about as much as you don't want to work with me. I say we split the work down the middle and come together at a later date to put the project together. We won't have to see each other or talk to say other until then." She waited for a reply but Draco sat there failing to blow his hair out of his face. "Did you hear me?"

"Yeah," Draco replied yawning loudly. "That's fine by me."

Hermione leaned in over the table and lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "If you don't come through on your half of the project, I will hex you," Hermione said as menacingly as possible. A small, crooked smile appeared on Draco's face.

"That's very bold of you to say, Granger," Draco sniggered. "I'm not sure if I can work with that kind of attitude." He yawned again. "Are we done?" Hermione sat back in her chair and nodded. Draco swept his bag off the table and headed out of the library much faster than when he came in. In fact, he left so quickly he did not realize that a crumpled ball of parchment had escaped from his bag.

Hermione first noticed the parchment as she was packing up her notes and books. She was prepared to throw it out when she realized that it was not hers; the parchment was much nicer than any she had ever seen and she would not have balled up something like that. Making sure not to tear the little ball, Hermione slowly opened it and smoothed it out on the table. When she saw that it was addressed to Draco she immediately stopped reading. He may be rude and conniving but, like all people, he had a right to his privacy. This one time, however, curiosity got the better of her and she read through the letter. _It must be from his father_, she deduced and she put it into her bag along with the rest of her belongings. She paid no mind to it until the following morning.

...

Back in the Slytherin common room, Draco flopped onto the nearest chair and chuckled to himself. _What a laugh_, he thought. _Granger wouldn't really hex me. She's too much of a goodie to do that_. The sound of the crackling kindling in the fireplace calmed him and he inhaled the smell of the wood. Then a thought occurred to him. _I should burn that letter. Just in case_. He reached into his bag to pull out the letter but discovered that it was not there.

Draco leapt to his feet and immediately dumped the contents of his bag onto the floor and searched for that little piece of parchment to no avail. _It must have fallen out. Yes, it must have. But where?_ He began to mentally retrace his steps from the time he put it into his bag to when he reached back in to get it. _There's nothing incriminating in that letter_, his brain told him. _Nobody will figure out what it means. It sounds like a regular letter from a father to his son_. This relaxed Draco a bit so he repacked his bag and went up to the dormitories to sleep. _Nobody will ever figure out what it means_. He slept soundly, not giving another thought about the letter.

_Except maybe Granger_. This thought forced Draco awake. _She could figure it out_, he thought. _But what are the odds that she has it? If she does have it, how quickly will she figure out what it means?_ He grabbed his watch from his side-table. _Seven fifteen_. Draco shot out of bed, got dressed as quickly as possible, and raced out of the dungeons and up the stairs to the Great Hall.

**This is much shorter than I intended but my summer class just started and I'm trying to get into the groove of it. Also, I received notification this morning that I have been accepted into a nursing program for the fall (Yay! No more prerequisite classes to worry about!) so, bear with me while I get adjusted. There are a lot of things I have to do before I can actually start the program (such as certifications, registrations, orientations, other-ations…) Please, review and thank you for your patience!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I do try and keep these chapters over 500 words long to keep up with the first few chapters that I wrote. This one took a long time to write because there is really very little development (in my opinion but I'm very critical so I may be wrong) and it is very wordy and about twice as long as I anticipated but I think it turned out ok.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters.**

* * *

When the last of the Gryffindors had gone up to bed, Hermione slowly removed the letter from between the pages of her History of Magic text. It had flattened out considerably from its time spent between the pages of the heavy book and the text was easier to read. _Something is going to happen over Christmas_, Hermione thought. _But what?_ She sat cross legged in her favorite armchair by the fireplace and contemplated the possibilities. Eventually her tired mind did not want to think anymore so she folded the letter neatly into thirds, placed it into her planner, and headed upstairs to bed.

...

Even though it was only the first week of October, the weather was unusually cold and more-than-brisk breezes swept through the castle corridors. Some of the older students were already dressed in their winter clothes while a majority of the first and second years shivered between classes. To combat this sudden change in the weather, the kitchens prepared hot foods for every meal. This morning's breakfast was hot porridge, scrambled eggs, a selection of sausages, fresh coffee, and hot chocolate.

Ron of course helped himself to large servings of everything while Harry picked at his food and yawned. Hermione was awake long before her two friends and had already eaten. Now she was staring intently at her History of Magic textbook.

"Do you have an exam coming up or something, Hermione?" Harry asked looking over the table.

Hermione blocked Harry's view of the page as discretely as she could. "I'm just re-reading the chapter. I was half-asleep when I read it last night."

"Oh." Harry took a spoonful of eggs up to mouth but caught sight of some handwriting in the book and stopped. _She would never let ink touch the pages in any of her books_. "Did you write in your book?" Harry asked as he gestured toward the handwriting on the page.

"These are just notes," Hermione replied quickly.

"Ok," said Harry and he resumed eating his eggs. _She'll tell me eventually_, Harry thought to himself. He continued to watch Hermione read and reread her "notes" in frustration.

Suddenly, Harry nudged Hermione under the table. He cocked his head in the direction of the entrance to the Great Hall. Malfoy stood in the threshold scanning the tables. Hermione quickly slammed her book shut and shoved it into her bag on the bench beside her. She then became absorbed in her morning edition of The Daily Prophet as Draco carefully made his way over to the Gryffindor table.

"Granger," Draco said under his breath, leaning in over Hermione's shoulder. "I believe you took something of mine."

"Why would I take something of yours?" Hermione hissed back without taking her eyes off her paper.

"Because you enjoy sticking your nose in other people's business."

"Well," Hermione said turning to face Draco, "whatever it is you think I took, I didn't. Maybe you misplaced it. If you had half a brain you might've thought to retrace your steps instead of accusing me first thing this morning." With that said, Hermione slung her bag over her shoulder and stomped out of the Great Hall leaving behind a very embarrassed looking Draco standing in the aisle between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. For someone who would never be caught dead conversing with a Muggle-born or a Gryffindor of his own accord, he had just spoken to someone that was both and this person had insulted him.

"Morning, Malfoy," Harry said cheerfully. Seeing Malfoy all flustered was one of his favorite things to see but to see someone as levelheaded as Hermione snap at anybody was pure entertainment.

Ron, who was watching the entire exchange between Draco and Hermione, spoke up. "She's going to tell us about this later, right?"

"Yeah. She will."

...

By late afternoon, the temperature had risen considerably which put everyone in the castle in a better mood; everyone except Draco. He had spent both his afternoon free periods retracing his steps from the following day in search of the letter. _Maybe I'm being paranoid. If somebody found it, it would look just like a normal letter_. With much reluctance, he gave up on searching and went to the Great Hall for dinner.

...

_Maybe I should give it back_, Hermione thought as she pushed her food around her plate. _But if I give it to him, he'll know I took it_. She let out a long sigh that caught Harry's attention.

"Something wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You're awfully quiet tonight."

"No, nothing's wrong." _I should tell him. He might be able to figure out what the letter means._ "Actually," Hermione said slowly, "there is something." Slowly and discretely, Hermione pulled the letter out from her bag and slid it across the bench towards Harry. "It fell out of Malfoy's bag in the library last night. It's what he was looking for this morning."

Harry read over the letter under the table and slipped it across the table to Ron who took his turn to read it.

"It looks like a normal letter, Hermione," Ron whispered over the turkey. He passed the letter back to Hermione.

"That's just it, though," Hermione whispered back, taking the letter. "He hardly ever gets mail in the mornings like everyone else and this is dated two days ago. I distinctly remember him not getting mail that morning." Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with surprise and she turned a terrific shade of pink. "I've been keeping tabs on possible Death Eaters," Hermione said sheepishly, "ever since Professor Dumbledore hinted that there are rumors of a war and if I find anything suspicious I write it down. I figure that if something important comes up I can tell Professor Dumbledore about it." Harry and Ron just looked at Hermione. "We all know Malfoy's dad is a Death Eater so I've been focusing a lot of my attention on him."

"Did Dumbledore ask you to do this?" Harry asked, still processing what Hermione had just told him.

"No."

"So you're stalking Malfoy of your own accord?" asked Ron.

"No. Well, yes...in a way." She took a deep breath to regain her composure. "This letter may sound like an ordinary letter but I think there's something more to it. Lucius Malfoy is not the type of person to use such...cheerful language; we've all been on the receiving end of his insults." She gave the boys a moment to process.

"You think Malfoy might really be a Death Eater?" asked Harry.

"Think about it," Ron said cutting off Hermione. "Being a Death Eater is sort of like people of the same family being in the same house. Just look at my family." Ron pointed down the bench towards his brothers and Ginny. "If Malfoy isn't a Death Eater yet, he's bound to become one."

"Ron's right, Harry. Maybe that's what this letter is talking about. Maybe this reunion is all the Death Eaters meeting at Malfoy's home to come up with a strategy for this war that Dumbledore is talking about."

"Okay," Harry conceded. "But what about this part?" Harry pointed near the bottom of the letter. "What plans for Malfoy's future are his father talking about?"

The three of them sat silently in thought for a few moments until Ron voiced his thoughts.

"You can't be considered a Death Eater until you're marked, right?" Harry and Hermione nodded. "Maybe he's going to be marked over Christmas holiday."

* * *

**I know, I'm leaving you hanging. It's just that I've hit a wall. It's not terribly tall so I will climb over it eventually but as of right now, I'm stuck at the bottom with no climbing gear. I think my favorite parts of writing this was the argument between Hermione and Draco and Ron's moment. I simply adore Ron. Please review!**

**Oh, one more thing. Class is in full swing now which means papers and such so please bear with me if it takes a little long for me to post. I do try and post at least once a week depending on my work load. Thanks to those of you reading this! It makes me happy.**


	8. Chapter 8

**WAH! Surprise! Double update! I'm a little surprised myself. I finished Chapter 7 at about 9pm my time and this just came out of nowhere. One and half hours later and *BOOM* this appeared! Yay! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters.**

* * *

Harry stared at his best friend. Hermione was in shock. _How did I not figure that out?,_ she thought.

"What?" Ron asked looking back at his friends. "I'm not allowed to have an intelligent moment?"

"You can't be serious," Harry said. "He's our age. Fifteen. Isn't that a little young?"

"If You-Know-Who marks him, think about the advantages he'll have," Hermione pointed out. "With a young Death Eater at Hogwarts, You-Know-Who can gain more followers. More followers means he'll have more support which means that this war will no longer be a rumor; this war will be real." The three of them were silent once more.

"Shouldn't you go follow him?" Ron suddenly asked. He pointed at Malfoy walking to leave the Great Hall. Without replying, Hermione took up her bag and quickly ran after him.

Outside the castle, the sun was setting and made the corridors dim even with the torches burning on the walls. This served to Hermione's advantage. _If he goes down towards Slytherin tower, I won't follow him and go back to the Great Hall,_ she thought. But as she thought this, she saw Draco turn to go up the Grand Staircase. She kept behind him a few meters and stayed in the shadows when he climbed up and didn't move until she saw him go through to the second floor. She sprang from her hiding place and scurried up the stairs two at a time to catch up.

_Where are you going?,_ she thought as she watched him walk purposefully down the dim corridor. Using the suits of armor as cover, Hermione closely followed Draco and stopped as he entered the library. _Maybe he's going to do research for the project. _She watched as Draco went down one, two, three, four rows of books and disappear behind the fifth. _That's the Charms section. He might actually be doing research._ Hermione turned to leave but she heard the sound of someone taking books off the shelf and shaking the pages. _He's still looking for the letter._

Reaching into her bag, Hermione withdrew the folded slip of parchment and tip-toed down the rows of books. When she reached the fifth, she peaked around the shelf. Draco was flipping through a stack of books on the table so his back was to Hermione which gave her the opportunity to slip past and go down another four rows to the end of the Charms section. Once there, she quickly and quietly opened her notebooks on the table and made it appear that she had been there doing homework for some time. She was about to set down her Potions book when Draco cursed loudly and threw a book onto the table with a loud bang. Luckily, Madame Pince was still at dinner but this outburst startled Hermione who, as a result, dropped her book on the table causing an equally loud bang. When she heard rushed footsteps, she quickly sat down and put a quill in her hand.

Draco appeared at the end of the row looking just as startled as Hermione. "What are you doing here, Granger?" Malfoy sneered.

"I was doing homework until you startled me with that ruckus," Hermione lied. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for something," Draco said flatly.

"Is it that thing you accused me of taking?" Hermione scowled. In the back of her mind, she was formulating a plan on how to get that letter back to Draco without him learning that she took it.

"That's none of your business," Draco retorted.

_I'll take that as a yes_. "I'm assuming you took my advice and are retracing your steps." A plan popped to the forefront of Hermione mind. "If you ask nicely and tell me what you're looking for, I'll help."

Draco crossed his arms defiantly and glared at Hermione. _Nosey, Mudblood,_ he thought. _She can help me, though._ Putting aside his pride, Draco decided to let her help him. Just this once. "I'm looking for a letter. I thought maybe it got caught in one of the books you were using when we met here last night."

"Well what do you want me to do?" Hermione asked setting down her quill.

"Can you tell me what books you used?" Draco's insides were squirming with discomfort. He hated asking for help and he especially disliked asking Hermione Granger for help.

"Now was that so hard?" Hermione thought for a moment about how to work this into her plan. "_Practical Charms and their Uses_ by Hilda Higgleby, _Charm Your Way Through Your Day_ by Lilith Borage, and_ Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling. I also used _An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms_ but I can't recall the author's name."

"Fine. Can you," Draco struggled with the next word, "help?"

Hermione stood up from the table and walked with Draco to retrieve the books. With the letter tucked up her sweater sleeve, she waited for Draco to go to another section before she slipped it between the pages of _Magical Theory_. "I found it," she called. She hoped that Draco would buy her lie as she emerged from the row.

Draco snatched the letter from the open book and looked at Hermione questioningly. "Did you read it?"

Thinking quickly, Hermione replied, "How else would I have known it was yours?"

"You shouldn't have read it," Draco barked.

"Why are you so irritated?" Hermione asked feigning insult. _Just keep acting. He'll leave soon enough._

"I have a right to my privacy, Granger," he scowled. He turned on his heel to leave but not without muttering, "Nosy Mudblood," under his breath.

A wave of anger washed over Hermione and she felt her face grow red and hot. "Excuse me?" she sputtered.

"Nothing," Draco snapped over his shoulder but it was too late. Hermione had him pinned up against a shelf with her wand pointed directly at his throat.

The expression on her face was a mix of extreme anger and hatred and she willed herself not to cry, _Not in front of him_. Pressing the tip of her wand into his neck, Hermione growled, "Would you care to repeat yourself, Malfoy?"

_Now I've done it,_ Draco thought. _So much for being patient and treating this like an order from the Dark Lord_.

* * *

**There was a lot of description in this chapter and I don't think I captured Hermione very well but I think that has to do with the fact I spent a decent chunk describing her sneaking around. It actually made me uncomfortable having to type "Mudblood". It's funny how even though it's fictional, the insult still makes me cringe. In case you're wondering, the last two book titles I mention are actual books that Jo Rowling wrote about in the series (I had to Google the list). Please review and let me know if you like where this is going. As I've said before, I'm totally open to suggestions.**


	9. Chapter 9

**As you can see, there is a cover for this story now! Yes, I got permission from the person to use it and I would like to thank them again so, thank you. In case you're wondering, I do not often ship what the author hasn't already written but Dramione is one of my guilty pleasures. I think it may have something to do with the fact that I ship Feltson, too, and then there's the whole "forbidden love" aspect to it…but I digress! Here is another chapter (it's sooo much longer than I planned but yay!) for those of you who are reading :) Much love to you!**

**AN: I had to change the first chapter and the last two a bit to fit my story line. Instead of being fifth years, they are now sixth years. I'm still kicking myself in the butt for not thinking it through but I have to remember I started writing this five years ago so...yeah. I hope you still read it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters.**

* * *

Hot, angry blood coursed through Hermione's body as she glowered at Draco causing her face to turn red. A vein in her forehead was throbbing and her normally soft, kind features morphed into a scowl. Her eyes became enraged and there seemed to be a subtle fire flickering angrily behind them only adding to the ferocity of her appearance.

"Please," Hermione said icily, "do repeat yourself, Malfoy." When Draco didn't say anything, she applied more pressure to her wand making it sink deeper into his neck. "What," she asked through gritted teeth, "did you call me?"

Draco wasn't sure what was going through his brain when he called Hermione a Mudblood. If he had been thinking straight it would have dawned on him not to insult her because Hermione was, in fact, a very strong witch. "Nothing," he choked. He did not dare push her away for he knew all too well that she was not above physical assault.

"Liar!" she snapped. Looking Draco square in the face, she saw that there was genuine fear behind those cool, grey eyes. Then she saw her reflection in those cool, grey eyes: angry, vicious, almost feral. She slowly lowered her wand to her side and stepped back from Draco. Her scowl turned into an expression of shock and then into shame as the anger and hatred she was feeling was overcome by the realization of what she was prepared to do to Draco.

"Bloody hell, Granger," Draco hissed as he rubbed the spot on his neck where Hermione had dug in her wand.

"You have no right," Hermione said turning her gaze towards the ground. "You have no right to call me that."

"Well, you had no right to read my letter." Draco was about to draw his wand and strike but he stopped before his hand even reached his cloak pocket. The furious, raging witch that had him pinned to a bookshelf just seconds before had become a scared, fragile looking girl with her head hanging down as she looking at her feet. Both of her hands were balled into fists at her sides and were shaking. _Wow_, he thought._ I really hurt her_. Before he could comprehend what he was doing, Draco found his hand reaching out towards Hermione. "Granger," he said placing his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Go away," Hermione said swiping his hand off her shoulder.

"Granger, I'm so-"

"Just go!" she shouted not caring that her voice echoed throughout the empty library.

Folding the letter into quarters, Draco slid it into his pants pocket and backed his way out of the library. He opened his mouth to apologize but stopped himself and quickly made his way to the stairs leaving Hermione standing alone with her fists still shaking at her sides.

As he walked away, Draco was trying to process everything he had just seen. He couldn't believe the reaction, a fiery, explosive reaction, he caused by using that one word. The first time he called Hermione a Mudblood he was too busy laughing at Ron's backfired curse to pay attention to her. Now that he witnessed the effect of his words he felt confused and something he had never felt before: guilty.

_Oh, developing a conscience now, are we?_, asked a voice in the back of his mind.

_Maybe I should go back and apologize_, thought Draco. _She was so angry. Then she looked...frightened._

_She had a right to be frightened_, cackled the voice. _You should have cursed her for reading the letter_.

_But she was helping me look for it_, he countered._ If she hadn't read it, it would have seemed like a slip of parchment someone left in the book and someone else could have found it_.

_Please_, scoffed the voice. _You honestly think she found it in the first book she picked up? She had the letter from the start!_

_I still shouldn't have called her a Mudblood_, Draco thought half-scolding himself. _I should have just asked her this morning if she found it_. Draco ignored the voice and spent the rest of the way back to Slytherin tower replaying the change of expression on Hermione's face and feeling more confused with each replay.

Back in the library, Hermione was rooted to the spot. She felt herself shaking in both fear and anger. Never before in her life had she been so mindlessly angry. She prided herself in being logical and collected but something about Draco Malfoy made all of that disappear. He infuriated her in such a way that her stomach felt like it was about to fall. The best part about her outburst was that she had Draco cowering under her wand. The worst part was that she had enjoyed it a bit and she hated herself for that. She promised herself that she would never let anyone get her so wound up again and if they did she would not resort to attacking them with magic. She just couldn't afford to lose her head and use magic out of anger.

The weekend passed without incident. Hermione and Draco saw nothing of each other and they said nothing about the library incident to their friends. Crabbe and Goyle were too stupid to ask and Harry and Ron were smart enough to know not to ask. Not knowing what happened in the library ate away at Harry like a hoard of flesh-eating slugs but he wasn't going to press the issue with Hermione. He knew just as well as Ron that to go digging for information when Hermione was in a foul mood was akin to signing their own death warrants, so they waited until after dinner on Sunday to ask Ginny if Hermione had told her anything.

"Well it's nice to see you, too, Ron," Ginny said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I do love how you acknowledge my existence only when you need something."

"This is important, Ginny," Ron said as sternly as he could. "Hermione has been very quiet all weekend and we don't know why. We thought maybe she confided in you."

"She hasn't spoken to me all weekend, either," Ginny said with a worried frown. "I hope she's alright. You can try asking Parvati or Lavender but I doubt Hermione said anything to them."

...

The following morning, Harry and Ron strolled into the Great Hall with the intention of asking Hermione about the night she followed Draco but she was not there. When asked, Lavender just shrugged and said that Hermione was already gone when she woke up and left just as she got to the Great Hall.

"She looked a little distressed," Lavender said worriedly. "I was going to follow her but I thought better of it. It's best not to cross her when she's like this."

...

Hermione sat on the bench outside of the Charms classroom. She still felt horrible about assaulting Draco in the library and she could not shake the guilt away no matter how much she tried to justify her actions in her head. _He's a prejudicial bastard_, she thought. _It was bound to happen to him at some point in his life and this wasn't the first time he's called me that. He deserved it_. "I don't want to talk about it," she said glumly as Harry and Ron arrived outside the classroom.

"We weren't going to ask," Harry said taking a seat beside her.

"Yeah," said Ron as he sat on the other side. "We're not stupid enough to ask."

Hermione smiled at this and put her arms around her two best friends. While Harry and Ron could be annoying and childish, there were times that their actions and words made Hermione forget anything that was wrong with her day. Their friendship meant the world to her and she really couldn't ask for anyone better than Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

More students from both Gryffindor and Slytherin began to arrive for their joint lesson as time passed but Professor Flitwick was nowhere to be seen. They waited outside the door for nearly twenty minutes which felt like an eternity for Hermione as she actively avoided eye contact with Draco and vice versa.

"Sorry I'm late students," said Professor Flitwick as his short, little legs carried him down the hall at a surprisingly quick pace. "Someone decided to set off firecrackers this morning and I had to take care of them." He was panting a bit as he took out his wand and unlocked the classroom door so the students could file in. Once he was at his little podium at the front of the room he took out his planner and sighed. "It seems that we only have a very short amount of time left for this class. What I had planned to do today was to have you all practice a new spell but there is not enough time." Students began murmuring hopefully as the possibility of a canceled class came closer to reality. "So instead of a new spell, I want you all to meet with your partners and I shall come around to each pair to see how far along you've come. You may ask me questions if you feel the need." The class emitted a collective groan as students reluctantly moved around so that they shared a table with their partners. The moment Hermione did not even know she was dreading had arrived.

Hermione stayed in her seat waiting for Draco to come over and when he did, she avoided eye contact again. The guilt began to resurface and she had a very tough time pushing it back down. Draco had the same problem. He could not decide if he should start by apologizing or if he should pretend like Friday night never happened. The pair of them sat in silence as each struggled with their emotions and thoughts.

Draco was the first to speak. "Granger," he said slowly. "I'm sorry...about the other night."

Hermione looked up from her lap and just stared at him blankly. _Where is this coming from?_, she wondered. _As far I know he's never apologized to anyone for anything. What is he playing at?_

"I shouldn't have called you a...I shouldn't have called you that." _You shouldn't call anyone that_, said his newly found conscience. _If it affected Granger that way, how do you think it affects other people?_

Hermione could hardly believe her ears. He felt guilty. _He can feel guilt?_, her mind's voice scoffed but the look in his eyes was sincere. Draco Malfoy was apologizing. This sudden change of heart took left Hermione utterly flabbergasted and she struggled to form a response. "I'm…" she stuttered, "I'm sorry for attacking you."

Draco let out a small laugh and looked down sheepishly. "I'm pretty sure I deserved it." He looked back up at Hermione and the two of them implicitly forgave the other and started to put together what little information they had for their project.

* * *

**I felt that Hermione was a bit OCC but given the circumstances of her situation I think it was an appropriate reaction. I have experienced racism firsthand so I can very much relate to Hermione in this case although I wouldn't go as far as pinning the person to a bookshelf and threatening them. I also like the idea of Hermione and Lavender as friends. It does Hermione some good to have some girl friends.**

**Thoughts? Criticisms? Ideas? I'll take them all!**


	10. Chapter 10

**It's finally here (but only about half of it)! *confetti everywhere* I did my best to recall what was written before my computer died. Are you as excited as me?**

**Just one thing before you read: I had some problems with Blaise because his character isn't really explored in the books...like...at all. The only way I can describe what I did with him is that I tried my best to make him a nice 26 degrees Celsius/79 degrees Fahrenheit kind of like a mediator.**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

Five days passed without another incident with Draco. The fact that Hermione saw very little of him probably had something to do with it. Even though there were some shared classes like History of Magic and Charms, she never really saw him; it was as if he was purposely avoiding her. When Blaise Zabini begrudgingly delivered a message to her saying that Draco couldn't meet in the library that night to put together part of the Charms project and didn't give her a reason as to why, her suspicions appeared all the more plausible.

Actually, Draco _was_ purposely avoiding Hermione. For some inexplicable reason, every time he was near her he would get this terrible gnawing feeling in his stomach and his head would throb. Draco had never felt anything like this before and on more than one occasion Blaise had to escort him to the hospital wing to lie down.

The first time Draco was overcome with nausea, Blaise attributed it to a lack of sleep; Draco was tossing and turning the night before and murmuring loud enough in his sleep to wake Blaise. The third time it happened, Blaise knew he had to confront him so while Draco was lying on a bed in the hospital wing Blaise hit him with a stream of questions before he was lucid enough to realise he was being interrogated.

"What's eating at you, mate?" Blaise started. "And don't tell me it's nothing because you said that a few days ago and I'm not buying it." Draco turned away from Blaise in an effort to get him to stop but Blaise grabbed his shoulder and wrenched him back so they faced each other. "Oi!" Blaise's tone changed from worried to stern. "I know something's the matter. First you make me deliver a message to Granger saying you "can't meet her", then you start tossing and turning in your sleep, _then_ you start getting these fits of nausea for which Madame Pomfrey's given you practically every potion to fix it yet nothing works, and now you just decide to shut me out completely." Blaise inhaled deeply and sighed. "Talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," Draco said sourly. He didn't like it when people started poking around his private life.

"That's bollocks and you know you it." He sighed again. "Look here. You tell me what's got your knickers in a twist or the next time you're nauseous I'll leave you where you stand. We both know those two gits won't have a clue what to do to help you."

After a long silence and several more nudges from Blaise, Draco finally sat up and spoke. "It's Granger," he said.

"Yeah," Blaise snorted. "I figured that much. What's she done to render you utterly useless?"

"I don't know."

Blaise scoffed. "Liar," he muttered.

"I honestly don't know!" Draco retorted. Blaise sat back in the chair, crossed his arms, and stared at Draco until he came clean. He told Blaise all about the incident in the library, how he saw her change personalities in the brink of an eye and how she withdrew completely after threatening him. He told Blaise about how he apologized the day after just before Charms lesson and how ever since then he feels like he's about to faint whenever he's near her.

Like a doctor with his patient, Blaise just sat back in his chair and nodded his head occasionally to show he was still following the conversation. After a few moments of silence between the two boys, Blaise finally uncrossed his legs and leaned forward.

"You started getting this nauseous spells right after the whole wand-to-your-throat thing with Granger?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah."

"Mmhmm," muttered Blaise. He sat back and thought for another moment. "How else do you feel? Other than nauseous."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked with a confused expression.

"Did you feel anything else besides the nausea? Anger? Fear? Sadness?"

It was Draco's turn to think in silence. _Did I feel anything else?_, he thought. "There was something," Draco said slowly, "but I don't know what to call it."

Blaise crossed his arms and rolled his head around a few times in an effort to loosen some ideas. "Can you describe it?"

"Describe it?" Blaise nodded. "Erm...well...I felt my chest become warm but it was deep in my chest. Sometimes it felt like some other space beyond me was getting warm and the heat from that just appeared in my chest."

Blaise furrowed his brow in thought but he couldn't come up with an explanation for Draco's feeling. He couldn't even make sense of Draco's description. Finally, he came up with a solution. "Meet with Granger tonight in the library. She's always there anyway. Just show up and say you were ill but that you're fine now. I'll go with you in case you feel faint again but I'll stay back a bit. If you can make it through, tell me what you felt."

Every bit of Draco did not want to go through with this plan, but Blaise was smart when it came to these sorts of things so, with much hesitation, he agreed to meet Hermione.

* * *

**Cliffhanger! Sorta...**

**This is so much shorter than usual but I left you guys hanging for so long that I felt like I had to post at least something after getting you all excited over the "New Chapter email" when really it was just an apology. I still love you, though.**

**How did I do with Blaise? Let me know in the reviews!**

**Any other thoughts? Oh and does anyone have laptop suggestions? Not a MacBook; I'm too poor for a MacBook.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ahhh! FINALLY! I had such a giant case of writer's block and then classes started. Yay for five hours of lecture! It's a little bit shorter than usual...I think...I was too lazy to do a word count XD**

**So, just some forewarning, there is some language. Just one or two words, nothing horrible.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. HAIL TO QUEEN JO!**

* * *

As the clock struck seven and the crickets began to chirp, Draco and Blaise slowly made their way to the library. Before they had even reached the second floor landing, Draco started to feel uneasy. It was the same feeling he got whenever his father called him into his study during summer holiday to "speak to him about important matters". To keep his balance, he firmly gripped the railing with his right hand and used his left to massage his temple and this did help a bit but not enough to avoid Blaise's keen eye.

"Honestly, man," Blaise groaned as he rolled his eyes. "It's just Granger. No need to go turning into a flobberworm now, yeah?"

"I'm okay. Just give me a moment."

"No," said Blaise, grabbing hold of Draco's arm and tugging him up the stairs. "You need to do this or, I swear on the soul of my grandmother's favorite cat, I will hex you."

Once the two boys reached the library, Draco took a deep breath to steady his nerves. With a good amount of nudging and shoving from Blaise, Draco slowly made his towards Hermione. Taking the seat opposite of Hermione, he waited for her to look up from her work.

"If you want me to help you with your Charms project," she said without looking up. "I already have mine to do so I can't help you."

"Well," Draco started as smoothly as his nervous brain would allow. "That's a shame. If you can't help me, then our grade will suffer."

"Oh," Hermione replied, looking slightly taken aback. "I thought you were Ron."

"Weasel King always come round asking for your help?" Draco prodded as he slowly got past that nauseous feeling.

"His name is "Ron"," Hermione glowered. "And that's none of your business."

"My apologies, Granger," Draco said with a minute trace of sincerity. "Do you want to put the project together or are you just going to sit there glaring at me?"

Hermione let the comment about Ron slide; she figured it was best to put the project together and get it over with. As the two of them put their halves of the project together and began working on the oral portion of the report, Blaise observed through a nearby bookshelf. Every so often he would catch Draco steal a glance at Hermione when she was absorbed in writing her portion of the oral report onto notecards. Although he couldn't hear what Draco was saying, he was pretty sure that his friend was being charming because Hermione was laughing.

As the minutes crept by, Draco wound up on the same side of the table as Hermione and they whispered and laughed as they rehearsed their bits of the oral presentation.

_Bastard fancies her_, Blaise thought, chuckling a bit to himself. He could see why. Granger was pretty enough, especially since fourth year after the whole tooth-growing hex fiasco that earned Draco a week's worth of scrubbing down the stalls in the boys' lavatory and gave Hermione a night in the Hospital Wing. What she lacked in looks, she made up for in brains; she was pretty smart...for a Muggle born. But there was something else about her that made her appealing to Draco that Blaise couldn't put his finger on. Draco wasn't even aware of it but someone, somewhere in the library, knew.

Oh, he'd heard practically everything about everyone in the school, after all the castle walls did have ears of a sort. Yes, he'd heard of the bushy-haired, bright and quick witted witch and her numerous adventures (and not-so-legal adventures) with the famous Harry Potter and friends. He'd heard of her kindness and warmth, albeit unwanted and unneeded kindness and warmth, towards the house elves of Hogwarts. He'd also heard of the platinum haired, silver tongued boy with the heart of ice: unkind to those of "lower blood status", ferretting his way out of all sorts of situations by threatening people with his father's position in the Ministry of Magic, and caring of nobody but himself. But Draco was changing. From his place in the library, he saw something that nobody else could see. Ever so slowly, the boy with the heart of ice was warming up to the quick witted witch and this someone, somewhere in the library, was silently cheering for this freshly planted seed to bloom and blossom into a full blown romance.

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**OooOOohhHHHhhhh! Who is this mystery person? Anyone have any ideas?**

******If you would like to be kept up to date on my writings, see if I have anything new, contribute, or if you just want to stalk me, you can follow me on Twitter! My handle is the same as my pen name but without spaces :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Awww! You guys! The reviews! And it's slowly gaining popularity! *sniffles* I'm all emotional! My feelings...*uses hands to pantomime explosion rivaling The Big Bang* I love you! Hugs and Hogwarts letters for everyone! *happy dance***

**Just to let you know, I have absolutely no idea how Hogwarts scheduling works so if everything seems like it was scheduled by an ADD octopus...it probably was :3 I do know that it's been two weeks because the Charms projects are due. OOOooooooOOOOOhhh**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters.**

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"Oi!" a very familiar voice shouted down the corridor. "'Mione!"

"You really can't find another way to get my attention?" Hermione chuckled, turning to face her friends.

"It's been six years, Hermione," Harry said with a smile. "We'd have found another way by now if there was one."

"Even if we did find one, we'd still just shout your name down the corridor," Ron added. "Much more effective since you're so used to it."

Hermione just shook her head and chuckled at her two knuckleheaded friends. The three of them knew practically everything there was to know about each other and they even anticipated what the others would say which is probably why Hermione was shocked that she didn't see why Ron was so happy at such an early hour.

"So why are you two so cheery this morning?"

"I'm almost done with the Charms assignment," said Harry. "Parvati and I just have to rehearse it again later tonight."

"That's good, Harry," Hermione said. "Malfoy and I still have to rehearse ours, too." Hermione turned to face Ron as they headed across the grounds to Hagrid's and she saw the biggest, most stupid looking grin on his face. "What's all this about?" Hermione asked with a puzzled expression as she gestured to Ron's face.

"Take a guess," Ron said excitedly.

"Ron, you know I don't like guessing."

"Just guess. Please?" Ron pleaded.

"Ugh, fine." Hermione took a moment to think. "You finally learned how to properly conjure up food and actually have it taste like it's supposed to."

"As wonderful as that would be, no. Guess again."

Hermione groaned and turned to Harry. "What is he so chuffed about?"

"Ron's finally decided to pluck up the courage and ask out Sophie Roper."

"From Ravenclaw?" Harry nodded and Hermione turned back to Ron. "Ron, that's wonderful! When will you ask her out?"

"He asked her this morning."

Hermione let out a happy gasp. "Would I be right to assume she accepted?"

Ron nodded enthusiastically. "We'll be going to Hogsmeade together this Saturday."

"He's dragging Gin and me along," Harry said rather unenthusiastically. "I told him he's better off going alone so he can get to know her on his own. I hardly know anything about the girl and Gin didn't even know who she was until Luna told her."

"I dunno," Hermione said. "Maybe it would be better if Ron had you there. He's never had the best luck when it comes to words. I mean, it took him this long to ask her on a date." _It took him longer to ask me out. Bloody coward._

"See, mate?" Ron said smugly. "I told you she would agree with me."

"Yes, I do agree with you, but you have to remember to talk to Sophie and not just Harry and Ginny. You'll be there to get to know her. By the way, how did you even meet her? We have hardly any classes with Ravenclaw."

"She was waiting for Padma after a prefect meeting at the end of last term and Padma introduced me to her. We kept in touch over the summer."

"You should have told us you were owling her this summer!" Hermione said swatting Ron's arm repeatedly with her History of Magic textbook.

"Ow!" Ron exclaimed as he shielded himself with his hands from Hermione's powerful blows. "This is why I didn't tell you! I didn't want to have to deal with the physical abuse, not to mention the endless teasing, that I _knew_ would follow from both you and Gin. I didn't want to….you know...hurt your feelings, either."

"Ron," Hermione said in a low voice. "You know I'm fine with the fact that our relationship didn't work out." She let out a long sigh_. We ended on good terms. He knows that. _"Sorry I hit you," Hermione apologized. "But you still could have said something."

Ron smiled "like a git" (as so accurately described by Seamus) throughout the entire lesson in Care of Magical Creatures. He didn't even seem to care when he got stung by the giant honey bee he was working with and his hand swelled to twice its normal size.

Ever since the Buckbeak-Malfoy incident in third year, Hagrid had been keeping first aid supplies on-hand which was a good thing since there's always the chance of even the gentlest of creatures going rogue. Hagrid, thinking quickly, immediately dunked Ron's hand into a vat of some blue, sour smelling salve and scolded him for not paying attention while Harry and the rest of the boys pointed and laughed.

"This is precisely why yeh need ter pay attention ter where yer hands are when removin' the stinger from giant honey bees," Hagrid informed the snickering class of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. "Removin' the stinger now means yeh won't get stung later when harvestin' the honey."

Hermione just rolled her eyes and whispered to Hagrid the reason for Ron's absent mindedness and a smile formed beneath his enormous black beard. Clapping Ron on the shoulder, Hagrid offered his congratulations and went back to teaching the rest of the class how to safely remove the stinger from a giant honey bee.

"How's your hand, Ron?" Neville asked as the Gryffindor troupe trudged back up the hill for lunch.

"Better," Ron said examining his heavily bandaged hand. "I feel a bit like a boxer," he laughed, throwing a few punches into the air in front of him.

"Reckon you won't go touching a bee hive anytime soon, yeah?" joked Seamus.

"That's not very nice, Seamus," Lavender scolded.

"Yeah, Seamus," Dean mock-scolded. "We all know it's spiders that Ron won't go near." Everyone, including Ron, laughed at this and everyone proceeded to take a turn poking fun at Ron in an effort to wipe that stupid grin off his face but not one succeeded. He was overcome with happiness and nothing could stop it. Not even that afternoon's Divination class could put a damper on his mood.

Hermione, on the other hand, was slightly distracted. It wasn't the Charms project's upcoming due date that threw this normally level-headed Gryffindor off balance. It was the other night in the library that she spent rehearsing the oral portion of the project with Draco Malfoy that had her confused. Aside from comment about Ron, he had been rather charming, something she assumed him incapable of being: acting silly, improvising the speech at the most inappropriate points, making her laugh. Was she actually starting to get along with the boy who made the last five years of her life hell with the derogatory comments and name calling?

"Something on your mind, Hermione?" asked Ginny, slipping onto the bench beside Hermione.

"Hmm?" Hermione looked up from her plate and stared blankly at Ginny.

"I'll take that as a "yes", then," Ginny chuckled as she served herself some lunch. "You want to talk about it?"

"No," Hermione lied. "I'm just a little tired. My Charms project is due tomorrow so I've been double checking everything."

"You really need to stop spending so much time in the library," Ginny jested. "Go outside, get some sun."

"Well," Hermione said packing up her books and walking backwards towards the doors, "I have to cross the courtyard to get to History of Magic so I think that qualifies as going outside."

"That doesn't count," Ginny called after Hermione. "And we're talking about this later!"

Hermione nodded an exasperated yes before turning on her heel and heading outside to cut across the courtyard. Maybe Ginny was right. Maybe she did need to get outside more often, after all it was beautiful out. At this point in October, the leaves were changing color and falling down onto the cobblestones in gorgeous hues of orange and red. The wind even smelled of fall. It was cool but inviting. It was like a reminder of the promises of soft snow that waited for everyone in the months ahead; the pure white that would blanket all the worries of the past term and wash it all away as it melted come springtime. Hermione smiled broadly to herself as she thought of the coming Christmas holiday. She would spend half of it with her parents walking around the city and spending nights together with hot chocolate and board games. The other half she'd spend with the Weasley family and Harry at The Burrow doing Merlin knows what and having so much doing it. She could hardly wait.

An unfamiliar voice calling her name ripped Hermione out of her daydream state just as she reached the threshold of the classroom.

"Hermione!" the unfamiliar voice called again.

Puzzled, Hermione stopped walking and turned to face the stranger and found...well, the last person she expected. Raising an eyebrow, she slowly said, "Draco..."

"It's like you're deaf or something," Draco said as he met up with Hermione.

"I was daydreaming," Hermione said, still utterly baffled that Malfoy called her by her first name. "Do you need something, Malfoy?" she asked with some skepticism.

"Well, I figured we could go through the Charms paper once more to check for errors and whatnot."

"Sure. Library at seven?"

"I was actually thinking now."

"During class?" Hermione asked, visibly shocked.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. We both know this class is an utter bore and we learn nothing from Binns."

"You're joking. We have an exam next week; surely we should pay attention." Draco rolled his eyes at this. "And we're meeting in the library tonight anyway to run through the oral report again. Honestly, what are you thinking?"

"I think you need to stop being such a goodie all the time...Hermione." With a smirk on his face, Draco slipped past Hermione into the classroom and took his seat at the back of the room, closest to the door.

Hermione stared at him incredulously, wondering how this boy who filled the last five years of her schooling with strife suddenly became this charming person with an actual personality. Shaking her head, she let out a small laugh through her nose, took her seat at the front of the room, and opened her book to that day's lesson.

Now, since History of Magic is not a very popular course, the classroom assigned for it was very small. Even though there was one wall of windows letting in plenty of light from the outside, the eleven sixth years still felt cramped in the tiny classroom. It was more of a broom cupboard, really, what with its low ceilings and faint, musty smell. It was perfectly fine for such a small class, fitting only three rows of five desks, but it was hardly an ideal learning environment. This, combined with the fact that the subject itself is terribly dull, is why so many students preferred to sleep or do other work during class, especially Draco.

The margins on practically every sheet of note paper were filled with little scribbles and doodles, mostly spirals and miniature tornadoes as well as the occasional cartoon owl or fish. One page had a cyclone going all the way down the length of the paper with various objects being sucked up into its dark cloud. So, like any other History of Magic class, Draco took out his ink and quill and prepared to doodle. But he didn't find himself scribbling away as usual. Instead, he found himself actually thinking, not about class or the lesson, but about Hermione.

He hadn't intended on using her first name earlier, but when she didn't acknowledge the previous seven calls of "Granger!" he thought he'd give it a shot. He also didn't intend on enjoying the sound of her name or the way it so easily rolled off his tongue.

_Are you daft!?_ hissed a little voice. _What are you thinking? She's a Muggle-born!_

Draco silenced that little voice before it could reprimand him any further. He didn't care anymore. From just the few hours he spent in the library with Hermione, his idea of her changed completely. She was no different from him. She was a person, a person with feelings and ideas and wants. She was serious and diligent. She got angry and cried. She laughed and smiled and, Merlin, how her smile affected him. That perfect smile that seemed to flip on a switch in his mind and, in turn, make him...happy. He had no choice but to admit it: Draco Malfoy, pure-blood Slytherin, was falling for Hermione Granger, Muggle-born Gryffindor, and he didn't have any qualms about it.

...

Hermione felt someone's eyes on her during the entire lesson but she didn't know whose. It was probably Cormac McLaggen. Hermione scoffed to herself_. How did Cormac McLaggen, the least chivalrous Gryffindor in existence, get sorted into Gryffindor? _Ever since the start of term he had taken a fancy to her. Oh, how he tried to flirt with her whenever he could get her alone. From the library to the common room, he never gave up which is why she was glad for the last few nights of respite. Rehearsing the oral presentation for the Charms project with Malfoy meant that Cormac turned right around on his heels and walked away. _Courageous, my arse_. Hermione chuckled to herself. _Who would have thought that working with Malfoy would turn out to be a good thing?_

And then she felt the person's eyes again. Instead of quickly turning around to catch the person in the act, Hermione let a piece of parchment fall to the floor and as she bent down to pick it up, she looked out of the corner of her eye at the surrounding desks. Only one person was awake and alert, or at least mildly alert, and it wasn't Cormac...at least, she didn't think it was Cormac since he was fast asleep on his bag. No, the only person awake enough to have been looking at her was Malfoy. _Why would it be him? He hates me because I'm Muggle-born._ And then she started to think.

He was so charming in the library as they pieced their project together. Ever since she nearly throttled him he had been gentler around her. She could've sworn that out of the corner of her eye she saw him smile, too, as they worked side-by-side and Draco Malfoy, the boy with the permanent scowl, never smiled. _Maybe he's changing_, she thought smiling to herself.

…

Later that night, after dinner, Hermione gathered her belongings and made off for the library. She was a little anxious seeing as how it was the last night before presenting the project and she wanted everything to go smoothly. She wanted everything to be well rehearsed so she could get the highest possible grade and based on the amount of effort Malfoy had been putting in as of late, they needed to rehearse for a while in order to get everything right. The most difficult thing was that she would have to convince Malfoy to work.

Once she was on the second floor, she turned left for the library and directed herself towards he usual table only to find Malfoy sitting there with his arms crossed and his feet up on the chair beside him.

"It took you long enough," he said with a smug smile. "I've been waiting for a while now."

"_You_ were waiting for _me_?" Hermione said somewhat indignantly. "What makes you think you can be frustrated with waiting for me when _you_ kept _me_ waiting for ages practically all this week?"

"Let's not get caught up in the little details," said Draco as he sat up properly. "Shall we start rehearsing or are you just going to stand there?"

Hermione just shook her head and sat down across from Draco at the table and took out her prompt cards. Draco, shockingly, took out a stack of his own prompt cards and the two of them began to read off the cards and each jumped in when the other would finish. They went on, back and forth, for a good hour before Hermione was finally satisfied with their report.

"Was that to your satisfaction?" Draco asked, yawning as he spoke.

"Yes. It was fifteen minutes which satisfies Professor Flitwick's requirement."

"Am I free to go?" He hoped she would say "no" but he knew that she wouldn't.

"I'm not stopping you," Hermione said waiving him off.

"See you in the morning, then."

...

"Any questions?" Hermione asked when she finished her spiel. Nobody raised their hands or spoke up and even Professor Flitwick had been dosing off.

"Well, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Flitwick said, stifling a yawn. "Well done. Thoroughly researched and very well-rehearsed. I think an "O" is the appropriate grade for this amount of effort. Please, take your seats."

Since everyone was presenting that day, Professor Flitwick had everybody sit in their pairs. Poor Ron looked absolutely miserable sitting next to Goyle and Neville was a little withdrawn compared to Blaise. Everyone else appeared to not care at all about the outcome of their reports; they seemed to be relieved that it was all over. Hermione was relieved, too, since this was one less thing she had to worry about. All that was left on her list was her Transfiguration essay, her Muggle Studies exam, the History of Magic readings, and mid-term exams in December which was nearing faster than she had anticipated.

"I'm so glad that's over," Hermione whispered to Draco. It was odd but she felt a bit more comfortable around him since they had been spending time together in the library. She didn't loathe him as much, either. In fact, she sort of took a liking to him. Draco wasn't really all that bad once you got to know him. Sure, he could still be sour on his best days but he was the charming sort and that made up for it.

Draco yawned. "Yeah," he whispered. "Thanks for volunteering us to go first, Her-, erm, Granger. Now I can spend the rest of this lesson bored out of my mind."

"Oh, hush," scolded Hermione. "If you pay attention you might learn something."

"Yeah, yeah," Draco muttered as he folded his arms on top of his bag. He plopped his head on top of his arms and shut his eyes but not before stealing a glance at Hermione. Her expression was neutral but there was the faintest hint of a smile. He'd never seen her actually smile at him before. It was always after he cracked a joke or said something she found humorous. Oh, how he wanted to be on the receiving end of one of her smiles.

Before he knew it, the class was over and Draco was being shaken awake by somebody.

"Wake up, Malfoy," Hermione hissed. "Everyone's left."

A very groggy Draco lifted up his head to see that Hermione was right; only he and Hermione remained. "Why are you still here?" he asked.

"I have a free period before Arithmancy. You're lucky I forgot my book because you were still in here asleep when I came back to get it."

"Funny," Draco yawned. "I have a free period, as well. You could have just let me sleep."

"How was I supposed to know you have a free period?"

"I thought you were the brightest in the class," he said with a smirk as he hoisted his bag off the table. As he did so, a small book tumbled out onto the table. "Damn it," he cursed as he fumbled to catch it.

"What's this?" Hermione asked, picking up the small book and inspecting the cover. It was brown, old, and leather-bound.

"It's nothing," Draco said with slight panic. "Give it back." He reached out to snatch it from Hermione but she side-stepped out of his reach.

"Really?" she said holding it behind her back. "It's nothing?"

"Fine, I'm reading it for leisure. Can I have it back now?" _Please don't see the cover_.

"You, Draco Malfoy, read for leisure? That's something new." Hermione had no idea where this was coming from, no idea why she was teasing Draco Malfoy of all people.

"It's a shock, yeah?" Draco stepped out into the space between the rows of desks and held out his hand.

"I wonder," Hermione said in a lilting voice, "what interests the notorious Draco Malfoy? Stories, perhaps? Nonfiction?" _Why am I enjoying this?_

"Give it here," Draco said, reaching behind Hermione. When he felt the spine of the book brush against his fingertips, he clamped his hand around it only to have Hermione spin around so that they held the book between them. _She's so close_, he thought. And then he saw it. That smile. Nobody smiled like that around him: fully, warmly, genuinely. Was she actually smiling at him?

_Am I smiling at him?_ Hermione thought. _Why am I smiling?_ She was about to change her expression to one of disdain but when she saw the frustration leave Draco's features, she left the smile alone.

"Can I have my book back, please?" Draco asked gently.

Hermione loosened her grip on the book and handed it over, but not before catching a glimpse of the title and committing it to memory. She was beyond puzzled as to why Draco would be reading that book. _He wouldn't pick that up on his own accord...would he?_ she wondered.

"Thank you," he said.

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**Soooooooo...what did you think? Was it long enough? Do you like where it's going? Should Draco get a sturdier bag (lol)? Is it going too fast? I'm sorry if it is but I really, really want to move this along :) Let me know in the reviews!**

**Also, I'm having a bit of a problem with the next chapter...it's quite long but that's not the problem. The problem is that I have named the next chapter (and this chapter) and I just don't want to have that be the only one with an actual title so if you have any helpful ideas on how to name the eleven previous chapters, I'd love that because I'm having problems coming up with names. I think I put all my creativity into the next chapter… Just PM me or leave your ideas in the reviews! Thanks! *hugs***


	13. Chapter 13

**Oh! You thought this would be the really long chapter? Lol, nope. Don't worry, I thought so, too, but as it turns out I'm a little stuck because I think some of it may be a little overwritten so, to hold you over until I have finished criticizing it, editing it, and crying because I'm not satisfied with it I have posted this. Just a fluffy, feely chapter that makes your insides go all butterfly crazy. Also, it's December now. I fast-forwarded through November :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything...sadly...**

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Draco couldn't sleep. It was actually the third night in a row he had trouble sleeping and he knew perfectly well why: he was scared. This fear was a slow, creeping fog that would wash over him as soon as he feel asleep and a voice within the fog would whisper, "You know what is coming. You know you'll be marked. It is inevitable; you cannot escape." Try as he might, Draco couldn't protect himself from the fog. Sleeping drafts did nothing but keep him trapped in that nightmare and breathing deeply just made him fall asleep and enter the nightmare more quickly. The only thing that helped to calm his mind was the mysterious Muggle poetry book he found shoved under one of the bookshelves in the library, old and worn and bound in soft, brown leather with the title embossed in faded gold script. He found comfort in the faded words printed across its fragile, worn pages. _How Hermione-ish of me_, he often thought as he read by wandlight late at night.

That was another thing that comforted him: thinking of Hermione. Thinking of her laugh: light and cheery. Thinking of her smile: warm and true. He saw that smile when she sat in the courtyard with her friends, when she walked through the corridors from class to class with a book tightly clutched to her chest, and during those few brief nights he spent with her in the library. He saw that smile disappear, too. Some of those times he was the cause and he hated himself for causing the grief that made that smile go away. He wanted so much to apologize for it. He wanted to tell Hermione how he felt about her, but all he could think was, _What will she say?_ His mind had already run through several scenarios of how Hermione would react. In one she just laughed it off and walked away. In another she yelled at him, cursing him for taunting her, screaming that he didn't deserve her. But that was his reality: he didn't deserve her. If ever there was anybody least deserving of a girl like Hermione Granger, it was Draco Malfoy. He was known around Hogwarts for his sour disposition and cruel personality and practically every witch and wizard in Europe detested or feared his surname. Of course, the fear was caused by his father, Lucius, and his position in the Ministry, not to mention his other occupation as a "suspected" Death Eater.

Oh, how wonderful it was to be a Malfoy! With a cruel and overbearing father and a mother who lived in constant fear of his father's hand and wand, who wouldn't enjoy spending an afternoon, yet alone a Christmas, with the Malfoys? For as long as Draco could remember, he never had a "normal" Christmas holiday like his peers. He always spent a good chunk of it locked in the safety of his room while his father cursed and plotted and his mother avoided any kind of interaction with either of them. If he could, he would stay at Hogwarts for Christmas, but his parents never let him stay during the holidays. The reason his mother always gave him was that she "wanted to spend some quality time together as a family" but Draco knew he would just spend the holiday waiting out every miserable minute. Just once, Draco wanted to go home happy. He thought if he could just have something pleasant to hold on to when he went home, he would make it out relatively unscathed and return to Hogwarts with some part of himself that wasn't sucked completely dry.

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**So, what do you think of this little teaser? Any ideas on what to name the chapters yet? My OCD is killing me because some chapters have names and some don't *shudders* Reviews are nice and they buy snacks for the plot bunnies! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Ok. So I fast-forwarded through November which means it's now December. This chapter was supposed to be just a oneshot but then it turned into a story. I was debating between having it be a standalone or including it in Polar Opposites. As you can see, Polar Opposites got the chapters. If you want to know the process that led up to it and then become an emotional wreck like me, then read the spiel. It's up to you.**

**I found out that my younger brother is reading Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (my favorite comedy by Shakespeare) for school this year so I reread it on my own and once I got to Act II I had to stop and write this. I know; this is probably the oldest and the most cliché story line and it's probably (okay, definitely) been done before but I couldn't help myself. Somewhere towards the third chapter of this thread** **(I'll let you know which chapter it is lol) is where I became an emotional wreck. The plot bunnies commandeered my keyboard...and it doesn't help that I was rockin' out to 90s music while writing this...specifically Backstreet Boys' Shape of My Heart and Drowning...on a loop…OH THE NOSTALGIA! *sob* Then I downloaded all the BSB songs I could find, put the emotional ones on a playlist, and listened to it over and over like a loser. *sob sob sob* Pay me no mind. *waves you on the start reading***

**May I suggest that you Google the lyrics so you can understand where everything came from, make me not feel like a total nerd, and become an emotional wreck like me? You don't have to; just a suggestion.**

**Disclaimer: Queen Jo owns all and I thank her for it**.

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Soft, powdery snow began to fall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as winter progressed, bringing with it the usual excitement and cheer of the ever nearing Christmas holiday. Like any other winter, students were bundling up in hats, scarves, and thick coats and strapping on their warm, winter boots. They had snowball fights between classes, built snowmen on the grounds, and decked the halls with boughs and bows. This year, however, students were much more excited than usual.

It was the fifth night of December, a Thursday, when Professor Dumbledore dismissed the first through third years from dinner and asked everyone else to stay. He took his place at his podium, cleared his throat, and announced that there would be a Yule Ball for the fourth through seventh years. Whispers and giggles could be heard amongst the girls while slight groans escaped from the boys until Professor Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.

"For those of you wondering, the Yule Ball will not conflict with your mid-term exams." There were some more groans and a couple of sighs of relief (specifically from Hermione and a handful of Ravenclaws) but Professor Dumbledore spoke over them. "It will be held in two week's time, on the twentieth of December, the Friday after your exams will have been completed at seven o'clock." The old wizard placed one hand on either side of his ornate podium before continuing.

"In an effort to stay true to our beloved school's rich and unique history, we shall honor the period of its founders by making this a masquerade ball." This little tidbit piqued everyone's interest, even the boys', which made Professor Dumbledore smile broadly underneath his silvery-white beard. With a wave of his wand, neat stacks of white half-masks appeared at the front of each row of tables. "The other professors and myself have charmed these masks so that they will conform to and stay affixed to each of your individual faces without the use of ties. You may decorate them however you chose; let your individual creativities come through."

A quick flick of the wrist sent the masks soaring down the rows and they hovered in front of each student until he or she took hold of it. Then those piercing blue eyes twinkled behind those half-moon spectacles. "To ensure that you all remain anonymous, I ask you to keep these masks on for the duration of the ball. Well," he said clapping his hands together, "I wish you all the best of luck on your exams and I look forward to seeing you all at the ball."

Professor Dumbledore dismissed the students from the Great Hall and as they all began to slowly file out, Harry and Ron caught up with Hermione and Ginny.

"This is ridiculous," Harry scoffed as he turned his mask over in his hands.

"You're telling me," said Ron. "What's the point of having a ball if you can't see who you're dancing with? I mean, I want to go with Sophie but if I can't see her face, I won't be able to find her."

"I was actually talking about how I'm going to wear this mask with my glasses on." Ron gave Harry a puzzled look to which he replied with a shrug. "I think it will be nice to dance with a girl without her fawning over me for being "The Chosen One"." Ginny elbowed him in the side. His reply was to grab her by the waist and kiss her cheek.

"You could always ask her to meet you somewhere before the ball and then you two can enter together," offered Hermione. Ron mulled this over for a moment and decided he would do just that. "And I agree with you, Harry," said Hermione. "It adds a bit of mystery to everything."

"Besides," Ginny chimed in with a hushed tone. "It's a nice distraction from having to think about the war."

Harry and Ron stared at Ginny, mouths agape, while Hermione just rolled her eyes at the boys.

"What?" Ginny asked innocently. "You honestly think I had no idea? In case you've forgotten, I was there eavesdropping with you three, Fred, and George the summer before last. It wasn't too difficult to infer what's going on."

"Ginny," Hermione said with some cynicism, "Harry and Ron can barely remember what they ate for breakfast." The two girls laughed at this together as they approached the portrait of The Fat Lady who was too busy decorating what looked like a mask to notice them.

"A masquerade ball," she crooned. "Oh, it's positively lovely. Just like the old days. But I haven't a dress. Oh, one of the other portraits is bound to have something I can borrow." Harry and Ginny snickered at this last part which caught The Fat Lady's attention. Before she could scold them for laughing at her, Hermione said the password and she was obliged to swing inward so the four of them could step into Gryffindor Tower.

"See you in the morning, yeah?" Harry asked Ginny, kissing her forehead.

"Yes," she said with a smile. "I'm just going to talk to 'Mione before bed." She kissed Harry's lips and sent both him and Ron away so she could talk to Hermione in private. "You look a little perplexed," Ginny said sitting on the couch. "Do you want to talk?"

"Oh, there's so much to talk about," Hermione sighed. Where could she being? Mid-term exams were a good place to start, but everyone was worried about those. She could talk about her Christmas gifting dilemma, but she didn't want to bore Ginny. Then there was her Transfiguration essay, next week's Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam, how she needed a dress for the Yule Ball but she didn't want to trouble her parents...and her budding feelings for a certain Slytherin.

"I'm waiting, Hermione," Ginny said with slight impatience. "Now while I do have all night, I'd rather not have this take all night." So Hermione unloaded everything she was worried about except for her budding feelings for a certain Slytherin. "Well, I can't help you with the massive load of homework you've got, but I can help you with the dress problem."

"And how can you help me?" Hermione asked.

"I have my ways, Miss Granger," Ginny said slyly. "Meet me on the seventh floor landing, with your mask, off the Grand Staircase at ten tomorrow morning, okay?" Ginny stood up and threw a pillow at Hermione's head. "And loosen up a bit, will you? You're wound a bit too tight."

Hermione shook her head. "Good night, Gin," she said tossing the pillow to the opposite end of the couch. Ginny scurried up the steps leading to the girls' dormitory, leaving Hermione to sit on the couch alone to think.

Yes, the Yule Ball would be fun, but she didn't have a dress or shoes. She could always ask her parents but it was so last minute and she didn't want to bother them and she certainly didn't trust Ginny...not entirely. Then there was the matter of the ball. If she actually did attend, there was only one person she wanted to dance with and she didn't have the slightest clue as to why. She spent last few weeks stealing glances of Draco and she was pretty sure he was looking at her. On a couple occasions their eyes actually met for a split second before they both quickly looked back down at their desks, both of them blushing violently. Sometimes she dreamt about him and in these dreams the two of them just talked while walking around various spots in Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Her favorite dream, by far, had to be the one where the two of them sat beside the Black Lake reading that tattered old book that tumbled out of his bag.

Hermione had that book in her possession. Not the exact edition but she wrote her parents to owl her the copy that was sitting on her bookshelf back home in London. Of course, her copy was considerably newer. She knew the book very well, too, since she used to read it with her parents on Saint Valentine's Day. It was just a compilation of some famous love poems and quotes about love plucked from every single century and Hermione loved them all. She read it during her free periods or during breakfast while everyone was still half asleep. She'd drink in every word and think back to to the times before she knew about Hogwarts and magic. Those were happy times for her, not that she wasn't presently happy, but back then it was just her parents and her and it brought a smile to her face a lot like the way feeling Draco's eyes on her made her smile.

And that's how the butterflies would start. She felt his eyes, anticipated them actually, steal a glance at her during class and she'd try so hard not to blush. Hermione couldn't shake away this crush no matter how hard she tried...not that she was trying very hard. Even though she knew that a relationship with Draco would cause nothing but tension and trouble, she still found herself oddly attracted to him. It wasn't his looks that drew her to him (even though he was very handsome). It was something about him, something within him, that seemed to be trying to break free and Hermione wanted to help set it, whatever "it" was, free.

…

"What a stupid idea for a ball," Goyle guffawed as he, Crabbe, Draco, and Blaise stepped into the Slytherin common room.

"Yeah," echoed Crabbe. "Masks are stupid." The two morons that Draco called friends chortled as they made their way towards the boys' dormitories, leaving Draco and Blaise sitting alone at the little table against the wall.

_Why am I friends with those two buffoons?_ Draco asked himself. _Oh, yeah. Their fathers are Death Eaters...just like mine._ He stared at the mask for some time in silence, watching the flames from the fire cast long, dark shadows across it.

"Something on your mind, mate?" Blaise inquired from across the table. Draco shook his head no and hoped Blaise would drop it, but Blaise, being Draco's best mate, decided to push. Blaise sat up straight and cleared his throat. "Exams?"

Draco shot a glare at Blaise over the table. "It's nothing."

"Oh, I know it's something," Blaise said watching Draco's face. "You keep looking at that mask with that thoughtful expression of yours." Blaise gestured towards Draco's face and tried to mimic it which he did quite well. Draco just sighed, tossed the mask to the edge of the table, and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. "You do realize that I already know what's bothering you, right?"

"You're an ass, Blaise."

"Yes, I know. And you know that it's pointless trying to hide anything from me, too, right?" Draco groaned and sunk down low into his chair. "Weeks, mate," Blaise said with a matter-of-factly sort of tone. "It's been weeks of you watching her out of the corner of your eye, stealing a glance or two during dinner, smiling when you see her in the hall… How am I doing so far?"

Draco couldn't tell Blaise that he wasn't wrong, but he did not, under any circumstance, want to tell Blaise that he was right. "Really?" Blaise asked, clearly shocked. "You're really going to make me say it?" Draco did not reply. He just sat there with his arms crossed and Blaise sighed a long sigh. As a test of his friend's observational skills, Blaise declared, "You, my friend, are falling in love with a girl who has absolutely no idea that you're pining for her."

"I don't want to talk, Blaise," Draco said feigning sleepiness.

_Bloody fool, isn't he? Maybe I should tell the poor sap..._ "So I'm right."

Draco shot another glare at Blaise but when Blaise crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, Draco gave in. "She really has no idea," he said sullenly.

_Merlin's pants, I should tell him_. "Draco," Blaise started slowly. "You do realize that with these feelings you have...she might not reciprocate them?"

"Yeah," Draco said running his hands over his face. "Yeah, I know."

So he really doesn't see it? Merlin he's smart but he can be so daft sometimes. He chuckled under his breath and leaned forward on the table, hands folded. "Stolen glances and secret smiles," he muttered, shaking his head.

"What?" Draco asked, suddenly intrigued.

"My parents," said Blaise. "When they were at Hogwarts that's all they had until they left. Just stolen glances and secret smiles. At least, that's what my dad says."

"What are you going on about?"

"I've never told you this, have I?"

"Told me what?"

Blaise motioned for Draco to lean in and listen. "I'm half-and-half, mate."

"You're a half-blood?" Draco asked with surprise.

"No. Well, yeah I am but I'm half in another sense." Draco gave Blaise a puzzled look. "Merlin's beard, you can be so thick sometimes! I'm half British, half African."

Draco was shocked. "I don't...but you're...half-blood?"

"Yeah, I know. Its a shock, isn't it? Not many half-blood Slytherins here, at least not many that like to advertise it. But back to my parents. They loved each other but people weren't so accepting of that kind of love back then." Draco was listening intently now. "Sure, both of them were able to use magic but that didn't matter; they were different colors and it was along the same lines of using an Unforgivable Curse to associate with anyone that wasn't the same color as yourself. My father had it twice as bad as anyone, being both black and Muggle-born but Mum didn't care about that. Mum loved Dad and he loved her and after three years of stolen glances, secret smiles, and the occasional kiss in a broom cupboard, everyone knew about them being together. Grandad wasn't too pleased with it until mum died and he showed up at mum's funeral all apologetic."

Draco was speechless. For all the years he knew Blaise, he knew hardly anything about him. He knew about his mum dying back when he was eight but now, Draco saw his friend in a whole new light. "I had no idea," Draco whispered.

"Very few people do," Blaise scoffed. "People still aren't as accepting but it's better than what my parents went through." Blaise took a deep breath before continuing. "What I'm trying to say, mate, is that she sees you. She notices you. If you're going to buck up and ask her out, there's going to be problems. I fully support you in this but not everyone will, specifically your parents, her friends, your friends, and...well you understand what I'm saying, yeah?"

...

The following morning at breakfast, all Hermione could do was wonder what Ginny had up her sleeve. Ginny was known for being inventive and as devious as Fred and George, but she was also secretive. Her secretiveness was understandable; she grew up in a household with six boys and a mother that knew everything about all seven of her children. She had no choice but to learn how to safe guard her secrets.

"Where are you taking me, Ginny?" Hermione asked, struggling to keep up with her firecracker friend.

"You'll see," Ginny said, dragging Hermione along by the wrist. She quickly made a left turn so that they went down the left corridor. To Hermione's surprise, they weren't the only ones on the floor. "Hullo, Luna!" Ginny chirped.

_Seventh floor corridor, left corridor...why didn't I catch this earlier?_ Hermione thought to herself.

"Hello, Ginny. Hello, Hermione," Luna said in her usual airy tone.

"I've brought you your latest project," Ginny said with a sly smile.

"Project?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Yes, 'Mione," Ginny said attempting to suppress her excitement. "Project."

Suddenly a small wooden door with a delicate, crystal knob took form on the stone wall. Luna reached out, turned the knob, and stepped inside. "Follow me, please." Ginny pushed Hermione through the threshold and into the room.

"What is this room?" Hermione said as she gazed at row after row of beautiful fabrics in all shades and hues, some with delicate brocade work and others with bold patterns. "I know it's the Room of Requirement, but this…" Hermione's voice trailed off when she caught sight of four dressmakers mannequins with ornate ballgowns fit for William Shakespeare's time in the colors of the Hogwarts houses.

"Well, ever since we stopped using this room for D.A. meetings, I come here whenever I have to make repairs to my clothes which happens to be quite often. People here have a rather odd sense of humor."

Hermione as going to ask Luna to explain but Luna was already taking a tape measure to her. "Erm...what are you doing, Luna?" she asked moving away from Luna's hands.

"Ginny said you're in need of a dress for the masquerade ball. I'm here to help," she replied plainly.

"How?"

"I'm going to make it."

"You're going to make it?" Hermione repeated slowly.

"Yes," Luna said with a patient smile. "Hold still, please."

"Oh, no, Luna. I don't want to trouble you. I can just ask my parents for a dress."

"It's no trouble at all really. I made those dresses over there," she said gesturing towards the four mannequins.

Hermione glanced from Luna to the mannequins and back. "You made all of those?" Hermione asked with mild surprise.

"Yes," Luna said plainly. "I often like to come here and just think. Sewing has always helped me think. Plus, the Nargles can't get in here and take my projects like they do at home."

"Are you sure this is alright?" Hermione questioned again.

"Yes." Luna smiled again and tilted her head. "May I take down your measurements now, please?"

"Alright then," sighed Hermione, removing her robes and raising her arms.

Luna immediately set about to measuring practically every inch of Hermione from her shoulders to her toes. She scribbled down the numbers and casually stated, "You have a very nice frame, Hermione. Most witches would kill for that." Hermione turned pink at this compliment and muttered her thanks while Ginny looked on, giggling with glee the entire time.

"Luna, may I ask how long this dress is going to be?" Hermione asked as Luna disappeared into the fabric maze. "I don't want to trip over tons of fabric."

"Oh, hush," Ginny scolded.

"Don't I get a say in how I want this dress to look?" Hermione asked.

"None whatsoever. You don't even get to pick the color. Let Luna do what Luna does. Trust me," Ginny said reassuringly. "You'll be amazed."

"Fine. But if Luna is going to take care of the dress I still have to worry about shoes and my mask. I don't want to-"

"I have everything under control," Luna interjected as she reappeared with reams of fabric in her arms. "This is the Room of Requirement; ask and you shall receive."

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**Ok. I've decided to split this up into several chapters because it's just way to long and it's getting hard to manage it lol Thoughts? Did you like Blaise's back story? What do you think Hermione's dress will look like?**


	15. Chapter 15

**So, this one took a while to finish. I'm freaking out over finals because I only have the one final for my Fundamentals of nursing and I need to get an 85 (at the least) to stay in the program. I wrote this during one of my study breaks so this is probably going to be the last posting until after finals but as soon as it's winter break I promise you that updates will be more frequent.**

**Blanket Disclaimer: Seriously a pain in a butt to type this every chapter. I own nothing.**

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The night had finally arrived. The halls were abuzz with excitement from students and teachers and even the portraits and ghosts. Hermione, on the other hand, was rather pensive. She had been forbidden to see her dress for the past two weeks and frankly she was a little worried. Luna was known for being eccentric, a prime example of such behavior being her radish earrings, and Hermione was more than a little skeptical about Luna's eye for fashion, but Ginny told her to trust Luna and focus on her exams.

It was about two o'clock in the afternoon as Hermione was in the middle of reading her favorite poem, a love poem by John Donne, when she was yanked out of her chair next to the fireplace and, quite literally, dragged out of Gryffindor tower by her collar courtesy of a very excited and extremely energetic Ginny. The fiery redhead laughed the entire way to the Room of Requirement while Hermione struggled to keep up lest she risked losing her wand arm. Down a flight of stairs they went, then across the landing, and back up another flight to the other side of the seventh floor. Breathless and still a little surprised by her brisk and unexpected display of athleticism, Hermione placed her hand on the wall for support as she scolded Ginny in between breaths.

"A little warning would have been very much appreciated, Ginny," Hermione said, catching her breath. "All of this sudden yanking and tugging and running is going to give me a coronary one of these days."

"I'm sorry," Ginny said, cracking a smile. "I promise I'll warn you next time but honestly, aren't you just a tiny bit excited for the ball?"

"Not really," Hermione said honestly as she straightened up and crossed her arms. "Frankly, I'm a little skeptical about all of this. Luna has never been one for scheming but now you've got her in on this little plot of yours."

"It isn't really so much a plot," Luna said brightly as she appeared behind Ginny. She tilted her head and smiled as she reached for the door that wasn't there the minute before. "It's more so just us giving you a helping hand."

"And a gentle shove," Ginny added as she shepherded Hermione into the Room of Requirement. "You sit there," she ordered, pointing at the little sofa on the corner of the rug that lay in the center of the vast room. "Luna and I will get your things and I don't want to hear a word out of your mouth until we've brought you everything. If I hear a peep, it's Bat-Bogeys and Jelly Legs for you."

Hermione sat down with much reluctance. While she prided herself in being adept at magic, she was nowhere near as proficient with jinxes and hexes as Ginny. She'd seen all of the Weasley boys at the receiving end of quite a few powerful ones during her summers at the Burrow. Still, she didn't like how Ginny was so excited and the fact that Luna was actually giddy was a bit more unnerving. Ginny was a loaded pistol as it was but when she teamed up with Luna's free spiritedness and creativity, there was a good chance you would wind up with some sort of magnificent metaphorical explosion.

"First, your mask," Ginny said as she handed over Hermione's mask. "And your shoes." Hermione opened her mouth to speak but immediately closed it after Ginny pointed a finger at her. "Not a sound from you until after you see your dress. I won't have any sort of protesting from you. Now shut your eyes." When Ginny was sure Hermione's eyes were tightly shut, she called for Luna to bring out her dress.

"Open your eyes," Ginny and Luna said in unison.

Hermione thought her mind was playing tricks on her. The dress she saw before her was surely something out of a dress shop in London or Paris. The way the material flowed made it seem like Luna cut out a portion of the ocean and turned it into a dress. The intricate beading on the bodice blew Hermione away and the reflection of the sum made it gleam. Hermione was speechless.

"You're allowed to talk now," Ginny laughed.

"Luna..." Hermione gasped. "This is absolutely amazing!" She took the dress from Luna's outstretched arms and held it against her body as she gazed in awe at its beauty in the mirrors. "Luna, I don't know what to say. This is beyond wonderful! But it must have taken up so much of your time."

"It was really no trouble at all. I'm a very proficient seamstress; I even made Ginny and myself dresses." Luna disappeared among the racks of gowns and emerged holding a deep olive green ball gown with an ornate gold stitching pattern on the bodice and a golden yellow empire waist gown with organza tiers in all shades of gold. "I just altered some of the existing gowns for our dresses. A more traditional style for Ginny," she said handing the olive gown to Ginny, "and a more modern style for myself."

"You never cease to amaze me, Luna," Hermione said, laying the dress across the long sofa. She went over to Luna and embraced her. Luna returned the hug and urged Hermione to try on her gown. Giggling like a school girl, Hermione skittered off towards one of the partitions to change. Ginny and Luna followed suit and soon the three girls were laughing and twirling and dancing around the room.

"I just love this dress!" Hermione exclaimed. "What kind of dress did you alter to make mine?"

"I didn't," Luna stated causally. "Your dress is entirely original."

Hermione's jaw dropped.

"And since I think you don't have enough fun," said Ginny, "I went ahead and made one final accessory." Ginny pulled out a large box from behind one of the partitions and opened it to show Hermione the contents.

"No. Absolutely not," Hermione said adamantly. "I can't wear that, Gin. It's too much."

"Come on, 'Mione!" Ginny begged. "The whole point of a masquerade ball is that nobody knows who you are so you can dress up however you want." Hermione shook her head no and crossed her arms. "It was either this or a tiara."

"I think I'd father go with a tiara. This is borderline outlandish."

"Well I didn't make a tiara so you have to wear this." Hermione scrunched her face as an uneasy sound escaped her mouth. "If you won't do this for yourself, do it for me, otherwise all the work I put into this will go to waste." Ginny widened her eyes and pouted as she held up the contents of box.

With a heavy sigh, Hermione turned around so Ginny could fasten it to her dress. Ginny danced in place as she did so while Luna stood to the side with her head tilted to one side and a broad smile on her bright face.

"Okay," Ginny said as she made adjustments to Hermione's final accessory. "Oh, you look positively stunning! All eyes are going to be on you. Are you excited?"

Hermione took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She did look stunning. The dress hugged her frame in all the right places and Ginny's addition to the dress was guaranteed to be unique. "Yes," Hermione said.

"Well, come on then! It's time to do your hair and makeup."

"And I have some jewelry I made for us to use," Luna chirped and Hermione began to protest again that she already did too much.

* * *

**No, you don't get a description of Hermione's dress. I'm sorry but no. I'm saving that for the next chapter :3 I had to split up the chapter into two because I wasn't satisfied with the last half but I didn't want to leave you all hanging. Give me a bit of time to tweak it. Here is some candy to hold you over. *hands you giant bowl of candy meant for trick-or-treaters that never came because of Sandy***

**Seriously, last posting until finals are over. I'm panicking that I won't be able to stay in the program because I'm constantly second guessing myself on these multiple choice questions. I always wind up kicking myself in the butt because I change the answer when my gut was right *grumble grumble* BUT you guys always give me a little ego boost.**

**Hope you're all looking forward to the holidays (depending on where you are and what you celebrate) and may it be a happy holiday!**

**Much love,  
****AJ**


	16. Chapter 16

**To the lovely reader that PMed me and called me a "stinkerpot" for withholding Hermione's dress description, I want to let you know that "stinkerpot" is now my go-to word. You know who you are ;)**

* * *

"I can't believe you're actually going," Goyle scoffed incredulously.

"I can't believe you're going by yourself," Crabbe added. "I'd have thought you'd ask Pansy to go with you or, at the least, Queenie or Millicent."

"The whole point of a masquerade ball," cut in Blaise as he pulled on his gloves, "is to remain anonymous. With that in mind, I intend to cause as much mischief as I possibly can tonight. What about you Malfoy?"

Draco thanked his stars for Blaise; if he didn't cut in when he did, Draco would have just said a snide comment about the aforementioned girls and the last thing he needed was a trio of angry Slytherin girls. "I'm planning on ruffling a few birds' feathers, cause a row or two." Crabbe and Goyle both shrugged and made for the dormitories.

Draco eyed himself in the mirror, tousling his hair so that it fell into his eyes. Oh, how his mother would have scolded him if she was there. She would have taken a pair of scissors to his hair right then and there. Then she'd have slicked it back so that it lay smoothly and flatly on his head just like his father's. But she wasn't there and she had no say in his appearance, not even his dress robes. Rather than the traditional long and flowing dress robes that he wore during his fourth year, Draco opted for more of a tuxedo style with coattails on his jacket. Instead of the usual bow tie he went for a long and slender silver necktie to match his half black and half silver mask. If he had to say, he cleaned up rather nicely. Oh, who was he kidding? He was downright handsome and he looked damn sharp in his robes.

"Just a tad vain tonight, huh?" chortled Blaise from an armchair. "Are we going or are you just going to admire yourself in the mirror all night?"

...

Hermione and Ginny skittered down the stairs to the first floor landing, giggling the entire way. "You wait here," Ginny ordered Hermione before they rounded the corner. "You need to have yourself a grand entrance." Before Hermione could protest, Ginny rounded the corner and descended the steps to meet up with Harry and the others. From her hiding place behind one of the stone pillars, Hermione let out a giggle; Harry was stunned at the sight of Ginny while Ron just rolled his eyes and drew Sophie closer, his arm locked tightly around her waist so as not to lose her in the crowd. Hermione didn't see how Ron could lose Sophie when her dress was a very bright shade of pink.

"Finally!" Ron scoffed. "Bloody well took you long enough to come down. Practically everyone's in the Great Hall already."

"Oh, hush, Ronald," Ginny snapped at her brother as she descended the last of the stairs.

"Gin," said Harry as he offered his arm. "You look beautiful."

"Did Mum send that dress?" Ron asked with a hint of jealousy. His dress robes weren't as hideous as the ones he wore in forth year but it still had ruffles around the collar.

"Luna made it," Ginny said. "She made Hermione's, too."

"Where is she, anyway?" Harry asked, looking behind Ginny for his friend. "It's not like her to be this late."

"She's coming. I actually told her to lag behind." She lowered her voice to a whisper and said, "Luna and I suspect there's a boy she's looking to impress so she's going to have a bit of a grand entrance by herself to dazzle him."

"That is both devious and genius," Sophie said. "Do you know who it is?"

"She hasn't told me. 'Mione likes to keep that sort of thing to herself. Shall we go in?"

...

"Still haven't found her yet, eh?" Blaise asked a very forlorn looking Draco.

"No," Draco grumbled into his punch.

"Did you even try?"

"No."

"Well then how in Merlin's name do you expect to find her?"

"I'll know when I see her," Draco said coolly as he leaned his back against the wall.

"I really don't know how you expect to see her when your hair is in your eyes." Blaise reached out a gloved hand to adjust Draco's hair and was immediately swatted away.

"Who are you? My mother?" Draco scowled.

"Yes," Blaise said, raising the pitch of his voice and leaning his head towards Draco. "Please just go out onto the dance floor and find this wonderful girl that holds your precious, fragile heart in her delicate hands and tell her how you feel!" He sniffled and sighed for dramatic effect.

"Really, Blaise?" Draco asked stifling a laugh at his friend's jesting.

In his normal voice, Blaise replied, "I like to think that those of us who sport silver and green aren't all stodgy prats with broom handles stuck up our asses. Sometimes I'm not so sure about you; it seems like you still haven't fully removed that broom handle based on that scowl you always wear. That one," Blaise said excitedly, pointing at Draco's face. "That scowl! Shall I fetch Madame Pomfrey for you or would you rather remove it yourself?" Blaise let out a grunt as he received a strong punch to the arm. As Draco ventured out onto the dance floor, Blaise called after him, "I suspect I lifted your spirits a bit!"

...

Hermione was nervous. She wasn't as nervous as when she was about to take her O.W.L.s but it was almost as much. Though after thought raced through her head: People were going to stare at her. They would whisper things about her. What if someone found out it was her behind the mask? Would they criticize her for wearing such an ornate dress? What if _he_ wasn't there? After all, that was one the reasons she was attending the ball in the first place.

Before another negative thought could pierce her mind, Hermione room a deep breath, straightened up and took long, deliberate strides towards the doors to the Great Hall. As the giant doors creaked opened, she slowly let out that deep breath and let the bright light wash over her.

...

So there he stood, brooding in his black dress robes and black-and-silver mask and wondering what in the name of all things magical made him come to this blasted ball. Draco was knocked out of his unhappy state by a sharp elbow to the ribs from Blaise who pointed to the now open doors.

In the threshold stood a graceful and elegant figure wearing a flowing one-shoulder, midnight blue organza gown with the layers of sheer blue material gathered at the hip. The dress seemed to shine under the lights in the Great Hall thanks to the methodically placed glass microbeads spiraling down the front of the bodice and then cascading like a shower of falling stars from the waist down to the hemline. Little curls fell over this girl's midnight blue mask and around the silver outlined eyes. It wasn't enough for this dress to outshine all the others in style, after all accessories complete the look. Boys all around the Great Hall, dateless or not, were left speechless at the sight of her wings. No other girl had thought to have wings and even if they did, they would pale in comparison to these. These white feathered angels' wings were vast and glittering, opening out past her shoulders by a good thirty centimeters with the tips ending at her hips. They moved with her as if they had always been a part of her and, under the lights of the Great Hall, they seemed to breathe glitter with each step she took. She truly was a sight to see.

Hermione fought every urge in her body to run out of the Great Hall and forced herself to walk forward onto the dance floor. Her peers cleared a path for her and her wings, mouths agape in awe as they did so. For once in her life, Hermione was the envy of every giggle one of her female peers. She heard them whispering, wondering about her identity, complimenting her dress and the way it fit her. Not far into the crowd, she caught sight of Ginny and Luna, both extremely pleased with their handiwork, and finally she couldn't help but smile. She beamed as some newly found confidence flowed through her veins and warmed her skin.

_It's her!_ Draco's mind shouted when he saw that smile form below the mask. _Hermione!_ He suddenly started shoving his way through the crowd of students, racing against several other boys for a dance with the girl that he and only a handful of others knew was Hermione.

"May I?" asked a blond boy as he offered his hand to Hermione. He had an air of superiority about him and pompous tone in his voice. Hermione knew it all too well, but she didn't want to come off as snobbish; the last thing she needed to do was stoop to Cormac McLaggen's level so much to her, and Draco's chagrin, she accepted McLaggen's hand and curtsied.

It made Draco flinch when he saw McLaggen place his hand on Hermione's waist and took her hand in his. He felt oddly possessive and he was sick to his stomach. He knew he didn't deserve Hermione, but he knew McLaggen didn't deserve her, either.

…

Hermione's first dance was a waltz with McLaggen and she thanked Merlin profusely when another blond boy cut in and saved her from the world's biggest prat's ramblings about his family status and wealth. This new boy was nice enough and seemingly well-educated. He talked about his studies and plans to become an Auror after graduating from Hogwarts.

Another boy, this time a brunette, asked for a dance with Hermione. He was considerably shorter than Hermione and he blushed under his mask as he told her he was one of the youngest fourth year Gryffindors but, kind hearted as ever, she danced to the end of the waltz and told him, "You're a very brave and worthy Gryffindor." She gave him a peck on the cheek and both smiled as he walked triumphantly back to his group of friends near the back wall. Boy after boy came up to dance with Hermione and since she was loving the attention, Hermione said yes to all. When a raven-haired Hufflepuff bowed out, Cormac took the opportunity to return and prattle on about Quidditch and Merlin knows what else on account of Hermione tuning him out.

"May I?" asked a familiar voice. Cormac had no choice but to give up Hermione's hand and walk away. "You look beautiful, 'Mione," Harry said as they two-stepped across the floor.

Hermione laughed a bit and said, "I take it Ginny pointed me out to you?" Harry smiled and nodded. "Well, you look quite dashing yourself, Harry. Thank Merlin you came when you did. I don't think I could've taken anymore of Cormac's incessant ramblings," Hermione replied. "Where's Ginny?"

"She's off somewhere with Luna. I actually wanted to talk to you for a bit. We haven't really talked lately."

"Oh, I know," Hermione sighed. "There's just been so much going on, but I'm doing well. Exams are over and I can finally relax."

"But not too much, right?" Harry prodded.

"No," Hermione laughed. "Not too much." She lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Have you been sleeping alright?"

"Yeah. I think Voldemort's been using Occlumency because I haven't seen anything. How's spying for Dumbledore?"

"I'm not spying for Dumbledore," Hermione said defensively. "But, since you asked, nothing important has come up."

"Even with Malfoy?" Harry asked as he spun Hermione out.

Hermione's heart leapt into her throat. She wasn't expecting Harry to bring this up but then again he knew about the letter she found earlier in the year. As she spun back in she quickly formulated a response. "Nothing with him," she replied calmly. "He seems a bit distracted but nothing worth noting." It wasn't a complete lie but Hermione still felt uneasy not giving Harry the entire truth. "I'm a little dizzy, Harry. I'm going to go sit down."

"Another dance later?" Harry asked, bowing to Hermione.

"Of course," she replied with a curtsy and she walked off the floor to the nearest chair. *Why is my heart racing? Why can't I breathe? Why did Harry have to bring up Malfoy?* Hermione was repeatedly yanked from her thoughts by somebody calling her name.

"So," Ginny said suddenly as she took a seat next to Hermione. "Are you and your wings having fun tonight, 'Mione?"

"Yes, I am. And I love my wings," she said drawing Ginny in for a hug. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, dearie. You know, you're not the only one who likes those wings or that dress."

"I know. I don't think so many people ever paid this much attention to me before. I'm not sure how I feel about this."

"Oh, please. You love the attention but that's not what I'm talking about," Ginny said looking in the direction of the wall lined with Christmas trees.

Hermione followed Ginny's gaze and her eyes fell upon a blond haired boy in black dress robes and a silver tie. Even though his dark mask and his hair covered his eyes, she could still see that he was looking at her. She quickly turned her eyes to the floor and blushed.

"See? I told you. Now, he may or may not be the boy that you fancy - oh, don't think I didn't know - but when he comes over here, and he will, say "yes" and dance with him, alright?"

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**Happy post-supposed-apocalypse day! This is my gift to you! You can also think of it as an early Christmas present or whatever-present depending on what you celebrate. I say we should just have a giant holiday where everyone gets together for food and fun regardless of race, religion, and beliefs. I mean, just think of all the wonderful foods! Excuse me as I go nibble on some snickerdoodles.**

**If you want to see the sketches of the dresses, check out Twitter and let me know which is your favorite:  
****(hashtag)AJsPolarOppositesDresses**


	17. Chapter 17

**So many new followers and favorites for this story! I'm so touched I may just start to cry! And the reviews! Can I just give all of you cyberhugs?**

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Either the fates were preventing him from reaching Hermione or someone was repeatedly jinxing him because no matter how hard he tried, Draco just couldn't get to Hermione to ask for a dance. His heart sank lower each time she was approached by a new partner and he resorted to walking the perimeter of the dance floor as Hermione danced across. Then she sat down and he saw his chance but he stopped, afraid that she might refuse him. Her cheeks were pink and she was breathing deeply in an attempt to cool down so he waited between the Christmas trees trying his best not to look like he was lurking. He shook his hair out more and fiddled with his tie as Hermione talked to who he assumed to be Ginny Weasley, if her hair was anything to go by.

Finally, the moment presented itself and, with his hopes high, he stepped out to cross the room. A few steps in a thought occurred, so Draco stealthily slid his wand up his sleeve and brought it up to his neck. While making it appear that he was adjusting his tie he muttered, "_Descendit sonus_," then slipped his wand back into his pocket. Much to his pleasure, he reached Hermione before any other boy and, as he bowed and offered his hand, he said in a voice nothing like his own, "Would you care to dance?"

Hermione was shocked at this new mystery boy. Out of the corner of her eye she watched him cross the room and something about the way he carried himself seemed so familiar, yet his voice was one she'd never heard before. It was a low voice that made a part of her chest rumble when he spoke and even though it had a gravelly texture to it, it was still smooth and gentle. Still, something about him was familiar; she just couldn't put her finger on it. But rather than spend her night wondering who was behind the mask, Hermione accepted his hand and he led her onto the dance floor.

It was fortuitous that the little invisible string ensemble struck up a slow little minuet. It sent a shiver up Hermione's spine as her mysterious dance partner placed his hands on her waist and took her hand in his other. His grasp was strong and firm but it was also somehow gentle.

"I imagine every conceivable topic of conversation has already been covered," Draco said.

"You'd be right to imagine that," Hermione chuckled as they danced across the floor. "I've heard more than my fill about Quidditch and career ambitions from just about everyone."

Draco laughed with her and tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. "Has anyone asked what you want to talk about?"

"You'd be the first," Hermione said trying to look past the mess of silver hair.

"Well, what would you like to discuss?"

"Oh, I'm afraid many topics I find interesting bore most people," Hermione replied, smiling more to herself than to her partner.

"I'm sure that's not true," Draco said. "Liking those things defines you as a person. You're open to new things and willing to embrace them even if they're different." He placed his hand on the small of her back and drew her closer. "Name anything you want to talk about."

After getting over the sensation of having this boy's hand on her back, which she rather enjoyed, Hermione took a moment to think. She struggled to find a topic that would help her figure out this boy's identity that wouldn't also put him to sleep. Thoughts played about in her head and then it hit her. Well, the tip of her wings hit the back of her arm first and then the thought hit her. "Have you ever read Muggle poetry?"

Draco could hardly believe his luck. Did he not have a book tucked under his mattress that contained Muggle poems? "Interesting choice," he said nonchalantly. "Any in particular?"

"You won't find this boring?" Hermione asked, genuine surprise behind her voice.

"Not at all."

Hermione eyed him skeptically but she carried on and said, "Very well, then. I'm rather fond of one poem in particular. It's by John Donne. It compares and contrasts the ways we, as humans, perceive love both emotionally and physically."

"_Air and Angels_?" Draco asked, surprised at himself for knowing what she was talking about. Three months ago he wouldn't have had a clue nor would he have cared.

"You know what I'm talking about?" Hermione asked with genuine surprise.

Draco smiled sheepishly and murmured, "I fancy myself a bit of a romantic. Don't go telling people, though, because my mates would never let me live it down." He winked at Hermione and she laughed.

"I don't even know who you are," she said. *And I have no idea, either.*

"I guess that's a good thing. And this poem is rather for fitting for you, seeing how you're dressed. How does it start again?"

"Twice or thrice had I loved thee,  
Before I knew thy face or name;  
So in a voice, so in a shapeless flame,  
Angels affect us oft, and worshipped be;  
Still when, to where thou wert, I came,  
Some lovely glorious nothing I did see." Hermione was lost in the poem. The words flowed from her mouth as easily as if she were talking to a friend.

Draco was absolutely mesmerized by Hermione's recitation. When he read the words to himself in his head by wandlight they sounded beautiful, but hearing them said aloud in a voice so sweet and lilting that paused at all the right places was something he couldn't find the words to describe. His heart was soaring as she spoke and he came to further understand the words. He felt like a part of his chest was inverting on itself and a bit of warmth spread from that spot out to his fingertips. It was a wonderful feeling, the sort of feeling one feels when falling in love, and it had taken the literal form of an angel. This angel was dancing with him, talking to him, smiling at him and those were things he never thought would happen, not someone like him; someone so sour and grim with a dark past and a treacherous path ahead of him. But it was happening here and now. It was as real as sun in the sky, the ground beneath his feet, his lips against hers.

* * *

**Was it too much? If it was overwritten please forgive me...it's hard not to get carried away with something like this. It didn't even end how I planned on ending it! Plus, it's Harry Potter and I tend to get carried away with anything pertaining to Harry Potter...my mother thinks I have a problem.**

**I know it's short but I figured this was a good place to end while I edit the next chapter. It'll be up in a bit so keep an eye out!**

**If you've never taken time to read John Donne's "Air and Angels", I highly suggest you take the time to do so. I'm not a fan of poetry but Donne is one of my favorite poets and it's one of my favorite poems.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Going back reading the last chapter I realize that I went a teeny bit overboard but it was my favorite poem and I had to stick it in! I mean, how could I resist? Her dress had wings when I dreamt it! I have no self-restraint. Twas a perfect storm. I promise not to have anything that over-the-top in the near future. Also, I'm not a stinkerpot anymore :3 *confetti***

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He wanted so much to plant a kiss on her lips. Just one, tiny kiss to feel the softness of her lips against his and he could let it all go.

"Just such disparity

As is 'twixt air and angel's purity,

'Twixt women's love and men's will ever be."

"You look beautiful tonight, Granger," he whispered. Then he looked at her, square in the face, and smiled.

She looked back at him, stunned that he knew who she was and when she finally saw past that mess of hair she thought, _Only one person has ever called me that_. How did she not put it together sooner? The silver hair, those cool, grey eyes. She slid her hand from his shoulder to his face and she pushed aside his hair to get a proper look. "It's you," she whispered back. "Malfoy."

"Smart as ever," he said with a smirk. With one hand he traced the shape of her face with his hand, running it down from her temple to her chin, and with the other he held her at the waist. "I thought you'd never take a guess," he said and then he tilted her chin up, leaned forward, and kissed her.

Hermione didn't resist. She let Draco lean in and kiss her and she let herself fall against him as he did so. She let her hands fall to his shoulders and she pulled him closer, forgetting where she was.

A wave washed over Draco, cleansing him of all his fear, his frustration, his anger. He felt like everything was going to be alright, like everything was going to work out for one brief moment in his life...one very, very brief moment. Draco suddenly felt his body being wrenched away from Hermione by two strong arms. A fist attached to one of the arms connected with the left side of his face and Draco thanked Merlin that the mask was charmed to stay on his face until the clock struck ten. There was a clatter of shoes and several shouts as nearby couples scrambled to get away from the ensuing fight.

As soon as Draco righted himself, he whipped around to find a very tall and very angry boy. His shoulders moved up and down with each seething breath and the part of his face that could be seen was almost as red as his hair. "Who ...do you...think...you...are!?" he said between breaths. Without waiting for a reply he lunged at Draco.

"Stop it!" Hermione shouted. She grabbed hold of Ron's shoulder but he shrugged her off.

"Butt out, Hermione!" he shouted back.

Draco put his hands out in front of him and said, "Just calm down, now." He backed away very slowly. He didn't want to run from this fight; he couldn't be a coward, not this time. _But I can't fight Weasley; he's her friend_. "It was just a kiss, man." Ron took another swing at Draco and he dodged it.

"Fight back!" Ron barked.

"I'm not going to fight you," he said as calmly as possible.

Blaise, Harry, and Ginny pushed through the small crowd that now encircled Draco, Ron, and Hermione just in time to see Ron lunge at Draco, tackle him to the wall, and deliver several blows to his face and torso. Blaise immediately inserted himself between Ron and Draco and pushed the former with all his strength. Harry grabbed Ron by the shoulders and struggled to yank him back while Ginny and Hermione shouted at Ron to stop.

Suddenly a very loud voice boomed, "STOP!" Hagrid towered over the crowd and the students parted so he could pass. "What is the meanin' of this!?" he demanded of the group. The normally gentle Hagrid had been replaced by a very authoritative one. He looked from a panting Ron to a groaning Draco to a tearful Hermione. "Yeh better have a good reason fer this," he said menacingly to Ron. "Don' think I don' know about that famous temper of yers, Ronald. I know it's you under there," he said quietly, pointing a giant finger at Ron's face. "I know yeh started this fight an' I'm willing teh give yeh the benefit o' the doubt but yeh best straighten yerself up fer Dumbledore."

Right on cue, Professor Dumbledore made his way over in a surprisingly calm manner. "Thank you, Hagrid," he said. "If you would please take our injured student to the Hospital, I will handle the situation from here."

Hagrid nodded his shaggy head and he brought Draco to his feet. "Can yeh walk?" he asked.

"I think so," he said as he wobbled a bit. He started to fall but Blaise propped him up.

"I got him, Professor," Blaise said reassuringly.

"I'm still escortin' yeh. Dumbledore's orders."

"I'm coming with you," came a tearful voice. Ginny gave Hermione a look to which she replied with a shake of her head; she wanted to go by herself. With a great sigh, Ginny let go of Hermione and watched as she and Hagrid followed a few steps behind a hobbling Draco.

...

"Oh, goodness!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed as she quickly shuffled out of her office and caught sight of the bloodied boy lying on her hospital bed. "Thank goodness I retired early; I never would have been able to care for you in costume." She went to her cabinet and took out bandages and two small vials of potion. "Thank you, Hagrid."

Hagrid bowed his head and turned to Hermione. "Yeh gon' be alrigh'?"

"Yeah," she sniffled. She walked into Hagrid's open arms and hugged him. "I'm going to stay here for a bit. Can you let Ginny know I'm okay?" Hagrid smiled down at her, nodded, and left.

"Let's remove that mask of yours so I can get a better look at you," Madame Pomfrey said, waving her wand. The mask glowed for a second then fell onto Draco's lap with a light thump. "Not too bad. A few sips of potion and you'll be right again. Where else were you hurt?" Draco unbuttoned his robes and shirt so Madame Pomfrey could inspect his chest. "Some bruising but nothing's broken. Here are a sleeping draught and a healing potion; they should help but you'll have to spend the night here, Mr. Malfoy. We need to make sure you don't have a concussion." She handed the now open vials of potion to Draco and he downed them in one shot while Madame Pomfrey placed a bandage on his cheek. "Ten minutes, you two," she said to the still masked Blaise and Hermione and she walked away.

"I'll leave you two to it then," Blaise said clapping his hands together. He backed away from the bed and left just as the clock struck ten.

Hermione walked over to the bed and sat down on the chair beside it. "I'm so sorry," she said quietly.

"What are you apologizing for?" Draco said taking his wand from his pocket and reciting the charm to return his voice to normal. "You're not the one that punched me. I'm still surprised Weasley has that much strength. Where's he been hiding it?" Draco let out a laugh but winced at the pain in his side.

"I still feel like it's my fault," Hermione frowned. "Ron has a bit of a temper and he can be overly protective of me sometimes."

"I can see where he's coming from. Lovely girl like you needs protecting no matter how good you may be with a wand." He chuckled a bit at his pathetic flirting attempt and Hermione laughed, too.

"Why did you change your voice?" Hermione asked in a serious sort of tone. "We were already wearing masks."

"Honestly? I was afraid you'd say no to a dance with me if you heard my voice. You and I don't really have the best history, strictly speaking."

For the first time ever, Hermione really looked at Draco. He was using that tone he usually used when he had to charm his way out of something but his face was so neutral like when a person is telling the absolute truth. She was completely puzzled as to how this boy was once someone she loathed with every fiber of her being. Someone who made her cry was now making her laugh and causing her to question her feelings. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch in her class, was genuinely confused and that was something that hardly ever happened.

Without thinking, Hermione reached out to push aside Draco's hair. "You felt the need to cover your face with your hair, too?"

Draco tilted his head back onto the pillow and groaned. "You sound like Blaise." He turned his head and looked at Hermione. "I wasn't really thinking straight tonight. You have that effect on me and, if I'm not mistaken, I think I have the same effect on you. Did you kiss me back or was that just my imagination?" He was starting to feel the effects of the potions he took and he had to find out before he fell asleep or lost lucidity, whichever came first.

Hermione turned the shade of pink she always did when she was very embarrassed. She smiled and let out a sort of sheepish laugh. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," she said averting her gaze.

"That's not an answer," Draco said, reaching out and turning her face towards his. "Can I take this off?" he asked, tapping her mask with his finger. "Seems only fair since mine's off." Hermione nodded and let him remove the mask. "There we go. Now, did you kiss me or not?"

The smallest of smiles crept across Hermione's face as Draco's gaze met hers and a broad grin spread across his face.

"You _did_!" he exclaimed. "You kissed me back!"

"Yes, I did. Now will you please not shout about it?"

"Why not? I know certain individuals might not like it but I'm ecstatic."

"Do you want Madame Pomfrey to come out and scold us?"

"I really don't care because all that matters is that you like me," he said with an enormous smirk. "Of course, come tomorrow we'll have to keep it hushed up but right now only one thing will keep me from shouting about it and -"

Hermione pressed her lips to his to make him stop rattling on like a lunatic. She knew it was the potions making him speak like a hyperactive child but she enjoyed it all the same. "I have to go," she said softly. "I'm supposed to be angry at Ron for hitting you and if I stay any longer I might forget that I'm cross with him."

"Fine," Draco slurred as the sleepy feeling came over him. "Don't expect you'll visit tomorrow seeing as how you hate me, right?"

"Not a chance," Hermione said as she collected her mask. As Draco drifted off to sleep, Hermione couldn't help but smile. Turned out Draco Malfoy wasn't as bad as she thought.

...

"There you are!" Ginny exclaimed upon Hermione's return to Gryffindor Tower. She was already in her pajamas and it was clear she had been pacing. "Are you alright? Is that boy alright?"

"I'm fine," Hermione said shortly. "He's fine, too, no thanks to Ron. Where is Ron? I have a few words for him."

"He's just got back. He went traipsing up to the dormitories like a child. Great big scowl on his face."

"Good," Hermione said curtly and she made way for the steps.

"Oh, no you don't," Ginny said rushing in front of her. "I'm coming with you. He may be a prat but he's still my brother. I won't have you throttling him."

"That's fine by me. It's better actually because I think I might throttle him." Hermione removed her shoes, lifted her skirt and took the steps two at a time until she reached the sixth year boys dormitory door. She pounded on the door and said in an authoritative sort of voice, "If any of you aren't decent, best put on a robe because I'm coming in." She heard scrambling feet, a few sniggers, and a whispered "Now you're in for it," from Seamus.

Dean was the first to slip past Hermione. "Evening, Hermione," he said with a wink. "Don't mind the mess."

"Please don't do anything rash," Neville said meekly as he walked past.

"Give him hell," Seamus encouraged with a smile and a thumbs-up.

Remembering that she was supposed to be angry with Ron, Hermione stepped into the dormitory with Ginny three steps behind. Harry stood in front of his bed, arms crossed tightly across his chest, wearing only his pajamas bottoms while Ron had only untucked his shirt and untied his tie.

"I'm staying to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Harry declared.

"I'm here to make sure Hermione doesn't kill him," Ginny said. "Well, go on, 'Mione; say what you have to say."

Downstairs in the common room, Dean and Seamus were betting on whether or not Ron would come out in one piece. Neville sat by the fire worrying that his friends were going to tear each other to pieces and he felt a definite shift in the air as Hermione let loose.

"What the bloody hell is your problem?" Hermione asked, her voice even but angry. "What, pray tell, possessed you to beat up someone you don't even know?"

"I don't know," Ron said quietly as he struggled with the buttons on his collar.

"You don't know?" Hermione asked, the anger in her voice slowly rising.

"No," Ron replied flatly.

"Well, would you like to try and think about it for a moment? Or would you rather go punching a hole through the wall?" Ron sat down on his bed and fiddled with a loose thread on the bedspread in silence. "I'm waiting," Hermione said impatiently.

"He kissed you!" Ron replied, leaping to his feet and taking a few steps towards Hermione. "You don't even know who he is and you let him kiss you!"

"It was a kiss, Ron," Hermione said exasperatedly. "Why does it matter to you who I kiss?"

"I don't know," he grumbled.

"Again, you don't know," Hermione scoffed incredulously. "How do you not know!? Are you not aware of what's going on in your head? Do you have a general idea as to what made you lash out like a petulant child?" Ron struggled to reply; all he could manage was a few stutters as he looked to Harry for help.

"I'm sorry, mate, but you're on your own here," Harry said.

"Why is it," Hermione huffed, "that whenever you can't verbalize whatever is going on in your thick skull you completely fly off the handle?"

"It's not like I can help it!" Ron yelled. "If I have a problem with anything I can usually figure it out but when it comes to you I have no bloody clue what I'm doing!" He began to speak more quickly. "Every damn day I regret ending it with you. I feel like I hurt you, like I caused some sort of irreparable damage to you and I need to fix it! I don't want to see you get hurt again, not if I can help it. Don't you get it? I still care about you, Hermione!" He sunk to the floor at the foot of the bed and covered his face in his hands.

Hermione's heart dropped to the floor of her stomach and she immediately felt ashamed. Ron's inability to convey his thoughts was a recurring problem and Hermione had always been patient. Of course, there were times that she'd lost her temper but never before had she blown up at Ron like she just did.

"Ron," Hermione said softly as she knelt on the floor in front of Ron. "We broke up on good terms. Yes, I was hurt at first because I lost someone that I hold dear and I was so afraid that we wouldn't speak again but that never came to pass. We're talking right now and I'm perfectly fine with how we are and," she tilted Ron's head up and wiped his face, "as thankful as I am for your offer to protect me, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ron sniffed and he drew Hermione into a hug. "Is that guy alright?" asked Ron when they pulled apart. "Did you find out who he was?"

"Madame Pomfrey fixed him up, but I don't know his name," Hermione said with a shrug as she got to her feet.

Ron just nodded and stood up. "He'll probably come after me sooner or later," he said with a wry chuckle.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. He probably doesn't know it was you."

"How many gingers do you know have a temper as bad as mine?"

"Two," Hermione replied. "You and Ginny are evenly matched when it comes to your tempers."

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**I can haz Facebook page? AW YEAH! Check my bio for the link. I tend to update Facebook more than Twitter.**


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